Supporting Global Korean Studies
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Global Korean Studies -
The Global Korean Studies Support Program has been concluded as of May 2026.
The Pony Chung Fellowship will continue to operate until August 2027, but no additional fellows will be selected.
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With the support of the Pony Chung Foundation, RIKS launched a scholarship and exchange program in 2016, which aimed at advancing Korean Studies across the globe. In 2021, a new agreement with the foundation allowed for the expansion of these programs, building on their previous achievements. The Global Korean Studies initiative pursues the following goals:
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1. To provide a foundation in Korea for overseas Korean Studies scholars to expand their research.
- 2. To foster close academic networks between Korean Studies researchers at home and abroad. While the primary beneficiaries are emerging scholars, the program has been expanding to support interaction and exchanges between different academic generations.
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Scholarships
Pony Chung Fellowship
| Objectives |
This one-year residential fellowship program is designed to support emerging scholars from overseas. Based on its established research infrastructure and network, the Research Institute of Korean Studies provides early-career researchers who have earned a Ph.D. in Korean Studies or a related field from an overseas university with the opportunity to deepen their research in Korea. Through this program, emerging international scholars are encouraged to engage and collaborate with researchers and academic communities in Korea, contributing to both the advancement and globalization of Korean Studies. |
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| Application period |
Posted annually at the end of April on RIKS website |
| Eligibility | Non-Korean emerging scholars with a Ph.D. in Korean Studies from a non-Korean university or institution |
| Requirements |
1. Applicants must have obtained a Ph.D. degree no longer than five years prior to the beginning of the program. 2. Korean Studies may include the fields of humanities, social sciences, or international comparative studies with a focus on Korea. 3. Priority given to applicants with concrete plans to publish their research with a foreign university press within three years of completing the program. 4. Applicants with more than one year of post-Ph.D. experience will be appointed by the President of Korea University as research professors. Applicants without such experience will serve as postdoctoral researchers. |
| Positions Available |
2 per year |
| Research Fund |
1. Pony Chung Fellowship fund: up to KRW 50,000,000 and shared research space 2. Publication Subsidy: KRW 10,000,000 (additional funding provided for research published within three years) |
Pony Chung Fellow Workshop
| Objectives |
To facilitate network-building by allowing fellowship recipients to engage in workshops with Korean Studies scholars at home and abroad. |
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| Application Period | Year-round |
| Eligibility and Requirements | Fellows previously admitted to the Pony Chung Fellowship Program |
| Research Fund |
Workshop funding of up to KRW 15,000,000 per team and administrative support |
Exchanges
RIKS Academy
| Objectives |
A program designed to support intensive research, intellectual exchange, and collaboration among emerging Korean Studies scholars from Korea and abroad. The program aims to broaden participants' academic perspectives, strengthen their scholarly expertise, and foster a close academic network of Korean Studies researchers. |
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| Application Period |
Every August (announcements to be posted every May on RIKS website) |
| Eligibility and Requirements |
Graduate students majoring in Korean Studies who can participate in courses and discussions conducted in Korean. |
| Positions Available |
20 (10 Korean and 10 Foreign Graduate Students) |
| Financial Support |
Program includes:
- Scholarship of up to KRW 1,000,000 per participant |
RIKS Workshop (Discontinued)
| Objectives | As an extension of RIKS Academy, this program provides former Academy participants with opportunities for more advanced scholarly networking. It is designed to foster continued academic exchange, encourage the diversification and expansion of research, and create a forum for deeper reflection and exploration of participants' research topics. |
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| Application Period |
Every December (announcements to be posted every June on RIKS website) |
| Eligibility | Korean Studies research teams led by emerging scholars that participated in RIKS Academy |
| Requirements |
1. Each team must include at least one former RIKS Academy participant 2. Each team must include senior researchers from domestic or international academic institutions to serve as the team's mentors |
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Positions Available |
5 teams (each team must consist of at least six emerging scholars and two senior scholars) |
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Financial Support |
Funding of KRW 9,000,000 per team for focus seminars and presentations according to specialty |
Pony Chung Fellow Hosting Program (Discontinued)
| Objectives | This program sponsors former Pony Chung fellows in organizing academic events at their home institutions abroad by providing financial support for those hosting Korean scholars. This initiative fosters ongoing networks and provides Korean researchers opportunities for international academic exchange. |
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| Application Period | Year-round |
| Eligibility and Requirements | Former recipients of the Pony Chung Fellowship |
| Financial Support |
KRW 10,000,000 to host Korean researchers and conduct local events at home institution. |
Diffusion
RIKS Distinguished Overseas Scholar Lectures
| Objectives | This program hosts distinguished Korean Studies scholars from abroad to engage with Korean researchers through lectures, workshops, and seminars. |
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Pony Chung Korean Studies Lecture Series
| Objectives |
This program produces video recordings and archives lectures from RIKS Academy and Distinguished Overseas Scholar Lectures on the RIKS YouTube channel, to support multidimensional academic exchange. This program aims to make the progress of Global Korean Studies more accessible to both researchers and the public. |
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