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	Publications Thougths & Comments BioSketch Photo Gallery Contact Information Home	Biographical Information Dr. Han S. Park is University Professor of International Affairs and Director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues (GLOBIS) at the University of Georgia. Born in China (Manchuria) to immigrant Korean parents, Dr. Park received his education in China, Korea, and the United States, with advanced degrees in Political Science from Seoul National University (B.A.), the American University (M.A.) and the University of Minnesota (Ph.D.). Throughout his life, Han Park has endeavored to find new ways to use his talents and abilities to serve humankind. He has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so in several capacities: As a peacemaker Dr. Park has visited the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK—more commonly known as North Korea) quite often in his efforts to resolve the nuclear crisis that developed there in the early 1990s. All told, he has voyaged to the North more than forty times since 1981, and in so doing he has compiled a record unparalleled by any other individual in the United States, perhaps in the world. When the six-party talks were at a stalemate in 2003, he successfully organized an informal “Track-II” diplomatic seminar by inviting high-level North Korean and US government officials, ultimately paving the way for the resumption of the talks in 2004. Indeed, the meeting was quite productive, singled out by the Far Eastern Economic Review as “particularly substantive” in comparison with other efforts. When former president Carter made a visit to North Korea in 1994, it was Dr. Park who secured his invitation from the North Korean government and briefed him prior to his departure. In hindsight, it has become clear that Mr. Carter’s visit may well have averted a military confrontation between the US and the DPRK. Park then continued his work, making numerous trips to North Korea to persuade government officials to improve relations with the US by inviting President Clinton at the end of his presidency—this effort culminated in Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s landmark visit to Pyongyang in 2000. In addition to his work on the diplomatic front, Dr. Park has made successive efforts to promote US-DPRK relations through academic exchanges and mutual visits by opinion leaders. Most recently, he personally brought an ABC News delegation headed by its president, David Westin, to the DPRK. In fact, he persuaded the North Korean government to permit ABC to broadcast live via satellite from Pyongyang on several occasions in July 2005, the first such broadcasts ever allowed from that country by Western media.(1) He was also instrumental in facilitating the visits of New York Times Chairman and Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. and his senior editorial writer, Nicolas Kristof, that same summer. Kristof wrote a series of articles for the Times, also the first of their kind ever reported. Indeed, the very entry of Western media personnel is a first in the DPRK, and the impact of the resulting coverage has been compounded by world-wide reports of the pathbreaking efforts by the US journalists. For these and his other peacebuilding efforts, Donald Gregg, President of the Korea Society in New York and a former US Ambassador to South Korea, called Dr. Park “the architect of US-DPRK relations.” Also recognizing Park’s achievements, the late Peter Jennings of ABC News praised him as a person who “makes a difference.” Furthermore, ranking Republican congressman Kurt Weldon considers Dr. Park to be “the leading expert” on North Korea. As a humanitarian Dr. Park is the founding president of Uniting Families, Inc., a nonprofit humanitarian organization. Through this organization, Dr. Park reunited hundreds of separated family members in China and the Koreas. Incorporated in the State of Georgia in 1986, UFI is in fact still active. With the goal of alleviating hunger in the DPRK, he led a US agricultural team to Pyongyang to explore bilateral technical and scientific cooperation, and hosted a reciprocal visit by agricultural scientists from North Korea at the University of Georgia. In order to further aid the people of North Korea, he facilitated numerous shipments of medical goods to the DPRK through nonprofit humanitarian organizations. As an opinion leader Dr. Park continuously works to provide quality information to the public regarding contemporary world affairs, especially the North Korean nuclear crisis, by consistently writing op/ed pieces for newspapers, granting interviews, delivering speeches, and making television appearances. As an expert analyst, he has appeared regularly on CNN International, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, ABC's Nightline, the BBC, NPR, and serves as a consultant/analyst for ABC News. His remarks have widely been cited by major media including The New York Times, USA Today, and numerous major papers in Europe, Japan, and Korea. He has served as a speaker for various civic organizations in North America, Asia, and Europe, including both governmental and nongovernmental groups and institutions. Dr. Park also serves on the International Executive Committee of World Culture Open (WCO) in New York. In this capacity, he organized a seminar at the United Nations entitled, “Building Peace through Harmonious Diversity.” As a scholar Dr. Park has focused his research on the issues of human rights, sustainable development, and East Asian politics. Included in his extensive list of publications are Human Needs and Political Development (1984), China and North Korea (co-authored, 1990), North Korea : Ideology, Politics, Economy (edited, 1996), and North Korea: The Politics of Unconventional Wisdom (2002). Currently, he is writing a two-volume book entitled Civilization at a Crossroads. Human Needs and Political Development, published in 1984, is still referred to today as the only text to have treated human needs as the necessary locus of development. North Korea: the Politics of Unconventional Wisdom, published in 2002, also made a significant contribution by elucidating the social, political, historical, and ultimately ideological determinants of the mindset governing North Korean decision making. In addition to his own research, Dr. Park oversees several ongoing projects as Director of the Center for the Study of Global issues at the University. The University of Georgia has acknowledged Dr. Park as an exemplary scholar, having awarded him the title of University Professor in 2002, the highest distinction afforded a member of that academic community. He has delivered a number of distinguished addresses at the behest of institutions of higher education on three continents, thus demonstrating his commitment to the dissemination of important ideas. As an educator Dr. Park takes pride in his ability to make and maintain strong connections with his students, thus contributing to the development of tomorrow’s leaders. He imprints on them the horrors of war and tyranny that he has witnessed, yet simultaneously conveys an undying hope for the future of humanity, as well as the will to realize it. For more than ten years, he has helped US students to go abroad to gain exposure to different cultures and ideas through the GLOBIS study abroad programs in Europe and Asia. (1) The broadcasts were aired in multiple installments by Bob Woodruff and his crew. Go Back to the Top

Dr. Han S. Park is University Professor of International Affairs and Director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues (GLOBIS) at the University of Georgia. Born in China (Manchuria) to immigrant Korean parents, Dr. Park received his education in China, Korea, and the United States, with advanced degrees in Political Science from Seoul National University (B.A.), the American University (M.A.) and the University of Minnesota (Ph.D.).

Throughout his life, Han Park has endeavored to find new ways to use his talents and abilities to serve humankind. He has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so in several capacities:

Dr. Park has visited the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK—more commonly known as North Korea) quite often in his efforts to resolve the nuclear crisis that developed there in the early 1990s. All told, he has voyaged to the North more than forty times since 1981, and in so doing he has compiled a record unparalleled by any other individual in the United States, perhaps in the world.
When the six-party talks were at a stalemate in 2003, he successfully organized an informal “Track-II” diplomatic seminar by inviting high-level North Korean and US government officials, ultimately paving the way for the resumption of the talks in 2004. Indeed, the meeting was quite productive, singled out by the Far Eastern Economic Review as “particularly substantive” in comparison with other efforts.
When former president Carter made a visit to North Korea in 1994, it was Dr. Park who secured his invitation from the North Korean government and briefed him prior to his departure. In hindsight, it has become clear that Mr. Carter’s visit may well have averted a military confrontation between the US and the DPRK.
Park then continued his work, making numerous trips to North Korea to persuade government officials to improve relations with the US by inviting President Clinton at the end of his presidency—this effort culminated in Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s landmark visit to Pyongyang in 2000.
In addition to his work on the diplomatic front, Dr. Park has made successive efforts to promote US-DPRK relations through academic exchanges and mutual visits by opinion leaders. Most recently, he personally brought an ABC News delegation headed by its president, David Westin, to the DPRK. In fact, he persuaded the North Korean government to permit ABC to broadcast live via satellite from Pyongyang on several occasions in July 2005, the first such broadcasts ever allowed from that country by Western media.(1) He was also instrumental in facilitating the visits of New York Times Chairman and Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. and his senior editorial writer, Nicolas Kristof, that same summer. Kristof wrote a series of articles for the Times, also the first of their kind ever reported. Indeed, the very entry of Western media personnel is a first in the DPRK, and the impact of the resulting coverage has been compounded by world-wide reports of the pathbreaking efforts by the US journalists.
For these and his other peacebuilding efforts, Donald Gregg, President of the Korea Society in New York and a former US Ambassador to South Korea, called Dr. Park “the architect of US-DPRK relations.” Also recognizing Park’s achievements, the late Peter Jennings of ABC News praised him as a person who “makes a difference.” Furthermore, ranking Republican congressman Kurt Weldon considers Dr. Park to be “the leading expert” on North Korea.

Dr. Park is the founding president of Uniting Families, Inc., a nonprofit humanitarian organization. Through this organization, Dr. Park reunited hundreds of separated family members in China and the Koreas. Incorporated in the State of Georgia in 1986, UFI is in fact still active.
With the goal of alleviating hunger in the DPRK, he led a US agricultural team to Pyongyang to explore bilateral technical and scientific cooperation, and hosted a reciprocal visit by agricultural scientists from North Korea at the University of Georgia.
In order to further aid the people of North Korea, he facilitated numerous shipments of medical goods to the DPRK through nonprofit humanitarian organizations.

Dr. Park continuously works to provide quality information to the public regarding contemporary world affairs, especially the North Korean nuclear crisis, by consistently writing op/ed pieces for newspapers, granting interviews, delivering speeches, and making television appearances.
As an expert analyst, he has appeared regularly on CNN International, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, ABC's Nightline, the BBC, NPR, and serves as a consultant/analyst for ABC News. His remarks have widely been cited by major media including The New York Times, USA Today, and numerous major papers in Europe, Japan, and Korea.
He has served as a speaker for various civic organizations in North America, Asia, and Europe, including both governmental and nongovernmental groups and institutions.
Dr. Park also serves on the International Executive Committee of World Culture Open (WCO) in New York. In this capacity, he organized a seminar at the United Nations entitled, “Building Peace through Harmonious Diversity.”

Dr. Park has focused his research on the issues of human rights, sustainable development, and East Asian politics. Included in his extensive list of publications are Human Needs and Political Development (1984), China and North Korea (co-authored, 1990), North Korea : Ideology, Politics, Economy (edited, 1996), and North Korea: The Politics of Unconventional Wisdom (2002). Currently, he is writing a two-volume book entitled Civilization at a Crossroads.
Human Needs and Political Development, published in 1984, is still referred to today as the only text to have treated human needs as the necessary locus of development.
North Korea: the Politics of Unconventional Wisdom, published in 2002, also made a significant contribution by elucidating the social, political, historical, and ultimately ideological determinants of the mindset governing North Korean decision making.
In addition to his own research, Dr. Park oversees several ongoing projects as Director of the Center for the Study of Global issues at the University.
The University of Georgia has acknowledged Dr. Park as an exemplary scholar, having awarded him the title of University Professor in 2002, the highest distinction afforded a member of that academic community.
He has delivered a number of distinguished addresses at the behest of institutions of higher education on three continents, thus demonstrating his commitment to the dissemination of important ideas.

(1) The broadcasts were aired in multiple installments by Bob Woodruff and his crew.

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