Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

See the Conversations with History Blog See a webcast of this interview: Han

This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.

Welcome to a Conversation with History. I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our distinguished guest today is His Excellency Sung-Joo Han, who is the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States. In the early nineties he also served as his country's foreign minister. He has a Ph.D. from Berkeley and has taught at the City University of New York, Columbia, and Stanford. He has also a Professor of Political Science at Korea University.

1. Background ... impact of Korean War ... influence of parents ... mother ... education ... student protest ... education at Berkeley
2. South Korean Politics ... graduate research ... student protests in South Korea ... ideological divisions within the country ... democratization movements ... divisions over North Korea ... cleavages never resolved ... U.S.-Korea relations ... generational divide
3. The Work of Diplomacy ... longterm outlook ... a game of "Go" ... analogous to acupuncture ... importance of domestic politics
4. Theory and Practice in International Politics ... contribution of the theorist ... ideologues and reality ... the importance of success
5. International Politics after 9/11 ... diverse views of U.S. policies ... thinking about diplomacy in its aftermath ... pendulum swing ... dealing with North Korea ... importance of negotiations
6. Conclusion ... advice to students ... "converse with history"

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