Nordics-Korea Next Generation Policy Experts Program

In a changing world marked by strategic changes, including Sino-American competition and heightened security concerns, the Nordics-Korea Next Generation Policy Experts Program tackles the need for increased engagement between the Nordic countries and the Korean Peninsula. The initiative seeks to close the gap between Korean policy analysis and young Nordic people who are enthusiastic about studying and possibly working with the Korean Peninsula in the future. The program aims to promote deeper understanding and cooperation on topics such as global security, peacebuilding, sustainable development, and shared security problems between the Nordic nations and the Korean Peninsula by utilizing academic, political, and cultural networks. The initiative provides a forum for information sharing, hands-on policy-focused training, and publication possibilities with the support of the Korea Foundation (KF) as the program founder.

A new group of participants is chosen to take part in the program every year. The chosen participants go through a three-day training session in Stockholm, where they will attend lectures and workshops on topics such as inter-Korean relations and the strategic interests of South Korea and the Nordic region. Each participant will select a topic and write a research paper after the three days of training, which will be collected into a booklet at the conclusion of the program. Additionally, ISDP staff and a personal mentor who is an expert in the topic covered in the research papers will support each of the participants during the writing process. The program will conclude with a book launch in Stockholm to discuss the research conducted by the participants.