The School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) sends a heartfelt farewell to Professor Kyung-Ae Park as she announces her retirement. As part of her impressive career as a policy professional and comparative politics scholar, Prof. Park has lent her expertise to UBC’s academic community through numerous leadership positions and is known for her establishment of the groundbreaking Knowledge Partnership Program (KPP).
Prof. Kyung-Ae Park came to UBC in 1993 as a professor in the Political Science Department and as the IAR Korea Foundation Chair. She served as the Associate Director of IAR from 2004-08, Director and co-Director of the Centre for Korean Research from 2009-18, and also did a stint as the Graduate Program Director of the MAAPPS program. She established KPP in 2010, and later joined SPPGA in 2017. Throughout this time, Prof. Park taught courses ranging from East Asian diplomacy to gender and contemporary politics among other topics. Outside of UBC she held the position of President of the Association of Korean Political Studies in North America, and has been involved with a long list of scholarly publications throughout her career.
“Since the mid-1990s, Kyung-Ae has built a reputation as one of the world's leading experts on the opaque North Korea. The KPP initiatives are remarkable in themselves because there is only a handful of scholars worldwide who have been able to open a discourse with North Korean authorities while maintaining a reputation for objectivity and authority... She has built up a sense of mutual trust that allows a bridging of genuine solitudes; I admire her tenacity greatly.”
Prof. Park is the Founding Director of the Canada-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Knowledge Partnership Program (KPP). The first of its kind, the initiative has made significant developments in knowledge sharing and diplomatic efforts with North and South Korea. The Program’s approach centers human capacity building through academic exchanges, guided by her belief that knowledge and education access is a universal human right.
The initiative has facilitated numerous international conferences which took place in North Korea and brought together scholars from around the globe, as well as hosting individuals from the UN. The Program also orchestrated the visit of North Korean delegation to Europe and Asia in support of their studies, as well as coordinating a number of international workshops.
Amongst KPP’s most prominent ventures is successfully hosting over 50 North Korean professors for a 6-month study term at UBC; a formerly unprecedented feat. Six prominent universities and one research academy from North Korea were represented in this group. The Program has also facilitated numerous UBC visits from Democratic People’s Republic of Korea diplomats to the UN Permanent Mission, spanning the years of 2011-2013.
“KPP would not have been born nor sustained but for Kyung-Ae's vision, determination, and commitment. Her political astuteness and professional integrity in nurturing the program deserve the highest praise and recognition by all who believe in the power of educational exchanges to change the world. Her legacy lives on in all the alumni and supporters of the program.”
“At Kyung-Ae's initiative, we organized visits of MPs and Senators to South Korea for high-level meetings, policy dialogue, and seminars. These efforts not only broadened parliamentary awareness of the two Koreas but also led to the establishment of a non-partisan parliamentary group on peace and security in the Korean peninsula —an enduring testament to her belief in the power of academic diplomacy and Track-2 dialogue.”
From her bridging of cross-cultural exchanges and cultivation of Track-II knowledge diplomacy through the KPP, to her role in academia as a teacher, author, and editor, Prof. Park serves as a leading example of resilience and perseverance in the wake of geopolitical barriers. In the words of UBC Prof. Yves Tiberghien, “Kyung-Ae has managed a mission of dialogue, connectivity, and dialogue where no one else has succeeded. She did it with dedication, creativity, and professionalism.” We wish her all the best.
