Korea and the Eastern Bloc: Past, Present and Future Development is an Academy of Korean Studies funded project (AKS-2024-SRI-2200001) run by professor Miriam Löwensteinová, head of Charles University’s Korean studies department. The project culminated as the result of the research project Czechoslovakia and the Korean Peninsula during the Cold War. This project reached its height by convening an international workshop that delved into the Cold War Dynamics of Europe-Korea Relations using European Archives as primary sources. This workshop highlighted the need for more academic attention on the Korean peninsula’s role during the Cold War. It revealed a notable absence of this subject in European academia. This is despite the consensus among scholars that the Cold War originated in the division of Korea, an event that ultimately led to the Korean War. In 2024, this commitment was reaffirmed through the extension of the grant and the launch of the course “Perspectives on the Korean Peninsula during the Cold War” by the AKS Education and Culture grant to the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The significant interest from academia and students in participating in this course underscored the pressing need to explore this topic further. Considering the contemporary geopolitical landscape, often likened to a second Cold War, there exists an urgent need to examine the dynamics of the Cold War from a transnational viewpoint.
The primary objective of this project is to establish an esteemed international research institute that specializes in the comprehensive study of Korea and its relations with former Eastern Bloc nations from the Cold War period until today. The institute endeavors to bridge knowledge gaps by analyzing the influence of the Cold War on the Korean peninsula and the legacy it left behind, influencing current matters. This will be achieved through archival research, photographs, material collection, and, most importantly, the facilitation of collaboration between scholars with related interests, thus leading to a more nuanced comprehension of the Cold War and the relations of Korea and the states of former Eastern bloc today. The institute will host various meetings and conferences, culminating in the publication of academic books and articles. Moreover, recognizing that Cold War ideology still affects research in this field, we are committed to broadening our understanding of this intricate era and its lasting effects on global affairs.
The first area of research concentrates on the onset of the Cold War and the involvement of Czechoslovakia and other Eastern bloc nations in this geopolitical struggle. It will explore their relations with the DPRK and their impact on the ideology and economy of the DPRK. This research will focus on various aspects, including cultural, diplomatic, and economic relations between the states of the Eastern bloc and Korea during this period.
The second focus area of the institute research the post-Iron Curtain era, focusing on the normalization of diplomatic and cultural ties with the Republic of Korea. It will examine how the communist past of the Eastern Bloc countries shaped perceptions of the Republic of Korea and how these perceptions evolved following the collapse of the Iron Curtain. This research will also explore the challenges encountered during this transitional period and analyze public attitudes towards South Korea. Additionally, it will investigate how the media portrayed South Korea both before and after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.
