Korea stands out as one of the most crucial and fastest-growing actors in the Asia-Pacific area. Therefore, it is an area of strategic interest for the research activities of the Asia Institute, which promotes several activities and projects to strengthen the study and the expertise on the Korean peninsula.
The Asia Institute at the University of Bologna and the Korea Institute for National Unification, in collaboration with the Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea, will host an international academic conference on 18-19 May 2026 in Bologna, Italy.
This conference aims to examine the evolving prospects for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and their implications for regional and international security. Amid shifting great-power relations, prolonged stalemate in inter-Korean relations and growing uncertainty surrounding deterrence, diplomacy and alliance politics, the Korean Peninsula remains a critical site for reassessing concepts of peace, coexistence and security in the 21st century.
We invite scholars and practitioners to submit original papers that engage with questions related to peaceful coexistence, conflict management and security on the Korean Peninsula, broadly defined.
Possible themes include, but are not limited to:
Submission guidelines
Participants are invited to submit an abstract of approximately 300 words, clearly outlining the research question, methodology and contribution. Accepted presenters will be expected to submit a working paper in advance of the conference.
Abstract Submission Deadline: 8 March 2026
Notification of Acceptance: 20 March 2026
Full Paper Deadline: 8 May 2026
Submission: Please send abstracts to asiainstitute@unibo.it
We are glad to announce the second edition of the ROK-EU Strategic Dialogue: New Challenges on the Korean Peninsula and Beyond. The conference is jointly organized with KINU and will take place at a time of global instability, highlighting the Korean Peninsula as a central concern for international peace and security. The dialogue will feature the latest results of the Global Unification Survey, offering new insights into global perceptions of inter-Korean relations and prospects for unification. Scholars and experts from Europe and beyond will contribute to shaping new strategies for South Korea’s diplomacy.
The Department of Arts of the University of Bologna has obtained a three-years grant for "SEED PROGRAM FOR KOREAN STUDIES" supported by the Korean Studies Promotion Service of the Academy of Korean Studies. The goal of the project is to enhance Korean Studies at the University of Bologna through the organization of activities aimed primarily at students but also at the broader academic and local community. The project has an interdisciplinary approach with the goal of combining humanities and social sciences. As part of this project, we have established, within the Asia Institute, the Korea Center, a platform for all the activities and events related to Korea.
The Korean Paradox - Domestic Political Divide and Foreign Policy in South Korea is a research project coordinated by Antonio Fiori, Marco Milani and Matteo Dian of the University of Bologna, which uses an innovative approach to analyse South Korea's foreign policy, focusing on the importance of non-material factors such as political traditions, system values and identities. The project directly deals with key issues in South Korean foreign policy, including the North Korean threat, the alliance with the United States, the relationship with China and Russia, the complex relations with Japan and the role of South Korea outside of East Asia.
The ROK-EU Strategic Dialogue was a conference held in Bologna between the 22nd and the 23rd of April of 2024. The event was a collaboration between Asia Institute and KINU. The main topic of the meeting was the issue of democratic backsliding and its possible solutions. The event was attended by scholars and experts from the EU and South Korea.
Those who are conducting or who are willing to start a research project on Korea, and would like to work together with the Asia Institute or to give visibility to their projects on this webpage, are kindly invited to send an email to the Contact person for Korea with a short description of their research project.
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