University of North Korean Studies appoints new president

Shin Jong-dae, new president of the University of North Korean Studies / Yonhap

The University of North Korean Studies in Seoul inaugurated professor Shin Jong-dae as its new president on Monday, beginning a two-year term.

The appointment, announced in August, underscores the graduate school’s standing as a key institution in policy discussions on North Korea.

Founded in 2005, the University of North Korean Studies is regarded as the first institution in South Korea dedicated to North Korea and unification studies. It has since become a leading hub for research and education, training academics and policy specialists on subjects ranging from politics and security to the economy and society of the reclusive state — analysis that often helps shape Seoul’s official policy.

Shin has been a professor at the University of North Korean Studies since 2005, after previously teaching at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies and its Graduate School of North Korean Studies.

Throughout his career, he has held key leadership roles, including director of planning at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies, vice president and acting president of the University of North Korean Studies, editorial board member at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy and president of the Korean Association of Cold War Studies.

Beyond academia, Shin has contributed to government policy as an adviser to the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of Science and Technology and various inter-Korean cooperation committees.