Clements Center Concludes First Korea May Term: America in the Pacific- American History, Strategy, and the Future of the Indo-Pacific Region 

This year, the Clements Center introduced the first iteration of our South Korea May Term: America in the Pacific – American History, Strategy, and the Future of the Indo-Pacific Region. Conducted entirely in South Korea, the program offered twenty UT Austin undergraduate students the opportunity to visit significant landmarks in Korean history and culture, meet with local practitioners, pioneers, and academics in the fields of national security and foreign policy, and attend private events with senior policymakers and historians.

Throughout the program, students engaged with a range of academic experts who provided thought-provoking lectures on critical regional topics. Clements Center Associate Director Paul Edgar opened the program with an “Introduction to U.S. Interests in the Pacific.” Students also heard lectures from Dr. Jaehan Park on “The Geopolitical History of Korea Since the Joseon Dynasty,” “The Evolution of ROK’s Security Policy from 1948-2024” from Dr. Young-Jun Park, and “Democratization in Comparative Perspective” from Dr. Ji-Hyang Jang. Dr. Peter Kwon discussed the relationship between South Korea’s economic growth and its defense industry, while Dr. MinSung Kim presented on “South Korean Soft Power and Its Geopolitical Implications.” In Hiroshima and Okinawa, Dr. Tommy Jamison provided critical historical analysis including a session on “WWII and the Okinawa Landings.” Students also heard firsthand accounts from an A-bomb Legacy Successor at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and a North Korean defector at the North Korean Human Rights Center.  

In addition to lectures and discussions, students visited numerous historically and geopolitically significant sites. While based in Seoul, the group visited N Seoul Tower, the War Memorial of Korea, and shared dinner with Dr. Kim Sung-Han, a distinguished UT alum and former National Security Advisor. A highlight was the trip to the DMZ, including a tour of the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom, lunch with U.S. soldiers at Camp Casey, and a ready battery demonstration. After flying to Hiroshima, Japan, students visited Shukkeien Garden, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and Peace Park, where they gave presentations on key memorial sites. In Okinawa, they explored the former Japanese Naval Headquarters, visited Shurijo Castle, and walked the grounds of Hacksaw Ridge. Back in Korea, the group toured LG Science Park and met with Simon Lee, LG’s VP for Global Strategies. A day trip to Gwangju focused on the 5/18 Democratic Uprising, with visits to Chonnam University and the National Cemetery. The final weekend trip was to Busan, where the students had a reflective visit to the UN Memorial Cemetery, the only such cemetery in the world dedicated to UN forces lost in the Korean War.

Learn more about our South Korea May Term here!

Click here to view more photos from the Korea May Term.