About EUM

- Bridging the two Koreas through rigorous research -

We strongly believe that the unification of two Koreas is about the integration of people. Unification is not about uniting two different regimes but serving the peoples’ best interests. We are also convinced that true unification begins only when people from the North and South understand each other’s culture and circumstances and open their hearts to listen to one another. EUM’s mission is to study people living in both Koreas and find ways to bridge their dividing minds. Thus, we research topics ranging from politics, culture, and public policies. We strive to make a new way of building peace between the North and South Korea by focusing on peoples’ lives and minds.

Founding background

EUM Research Institute is a non-profit research organization founded in October 2020 by 12 founding members. These members were born and raised in North Korea and now living in South Korea. Collectively, founding members hope to contribute to the peace and unification of the two Koreas through conducting in-depth, people-centered research based on a diversified understanding of North Korean people and society.

There have been numerous studies on the North Korean regime and nuclear issues in the past several decades. Nonetheless, research focusing on people living in the North is scarce. Several important questions remain unanswered and unexplored: How have ordinary North Koreans been managing and navigating their daily lives? What are their thoughts and emotions about the social structure? What kind of culture have they created? How do they imagine their future? Researchers at EUM are examining these questions to improve our understanding of people in the North and to minimize the gap between the North and the South. We sincerely believe that true unification will begin when the people of North and South acknowledge and respect each other’s differences. EUM Research Institute will make a movement that can create a peaceful future for the Korean Peninsula.

Greetings from the president

Hello.

Welcome to the EUM Research Institute's website. I am Eun-A Park, the 2nd President of the institute.

The EUM Research Institute was established in 2020 by North Korean defector researchers to promote studies on North Korean people and society and contribute to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. Since its founding, the institute has grown steadily each year, carrying out various educational and research activities. We have successfully conducted significant projects over the past four years, including small group meetings to enhance mutual understanding between young people and women from both South and North Korea (2021-2022), the program to improve human rights awareness among North Korean women resettled in South Korea (2023), and research on North Koreans' human rights from a gender perspective (focusing on economic, social, and cultural rights) (2024).

Admittedly, as we enter 2025, we are facing challenging circumstances both domestically and globally. Concerns have been raised that activities and research related to North Korea may shrink under these difficulties. Nevertheless, the EUM Research Institute remains committed to understanding and studying North Korean people (including defectors & refugees) and inter-Korean society based on the values of liberal democracy and a human-centered approach. We will continue our efforts to take an even greater leap forward in 2025.

We sincerely appreciate your interest and participation.

President of the EUM Research Institute

Goals and Visions

Researchers at EUM have experienced both the North and South Korean societies. We value human freedom and the principles of democracy. We prioritize people's lives and dignity over the integration of the political system. Therefore, we view the North Korean people as neighbors to coexist with solidarity rather than otherizing them.

EUM Research Institute aims for practical tasks, including:

Establishing a diversified research platform on North Korean people and society
Collecting and constructing objective and multi-layered data on North Korea
Raising social awareness on the issue of unification
Working with overseas diaspora communities
Networking with domestic and foreign research and policy-oriented institutions
Contributing to the establishment of peaceful unification

Representative

Eun-A Park (Ph.D. Program in Political Science)

Advisor

Hongki Shin (Deputy Director, Foundation for Supporting Youth with Migrant Backgrounds)
Jaeshim Yoo (full-time researcher, Environmental Research Institute, Seoul National University)

Executive committee

Secretariat Director: OO Han (Master's Program in Unification Studies)
Preject Director: OO Lee (Ph.D. Program in North Korean Studies)
Public Relations Director: OO Gwon (Master of Public Administration)
External Cooperation Director: OO Park (Ph.D. Program in Political Science)

Researchers

OO Gwon (Master of Public Administration)
OO Kim (Ph.D. of Social Welfare)
OO Kim (Master of Social Welfare)
OO Kim (Master's Program in Sociology)
OO Park (Ph.D. Program in Political Science)
OO Lee (Ph.D. of Korean Language Education)
OO Lee (Ph.D. Program in North Korean Studies)
OO Lee (Master of Public Administration)
OO Lee (Master of North Korean Studies)
OO Cho (Ph.D. of Education)
OO Han (Master's Program in Unification Studies)
OO Hwang (Master's Program in Unification Studies)