"Korea Foundation Professor of Modern Korean Studies and Director of the Institute for Korean Studies"

Indiana University-Bloomington’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies (HLS) invites applications for the position of Korea Foundation Professor of Modern Korean Studies and Director of the Institute for Korean Studies, to begin August 1, 2026. This endowed professor position, generously funded by the Korea Foundation, is fully in HLS’s renowned multidisciplinary Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC).

We are interested in candidates whose research combines disciplinary rigor and area studies expertise to examine real-world challenges facing contemporary Korea—whether political, economic, social, or cultural—and their domestic and global implications. The successful candidate will also lead the Institute for Korean Studies (IKS) into its next phase. Founded in 2015, IKS has established itself as a vibrant hub for Korean studies in the Midwest region, having garnered grants from the Korea Foundation, the Academy of Korean Studies, and the King Sejong Institute Foundation.

This appointment offers an exciting opportunity to join HLS as it leads the university’s international research and teaching mission. With more than six decades of history, EALC is known for its interdisciplinarity and boasts faculty strengths in a wide spectrum of social sciences, humanities, and language studies. We seek candidates who have a proven track record of successful grant writing and fundraising and are committed to institution and community building.

Applicants must be at the rank of full or associate professor at the time of appointment to Indiana University, and the selected finalist will be required to undergo a review of appropriateness for hire with tenure at Indiana University as part of the recruitment process.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. All applications received by November 1, 2025 will be guaranteed full consideration.

Basic Qualifications: Candidates possessing a PhD or other terminal doctorate from a range of fields in the social sciences are encouraged to apply for this position. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an active research background involving Korean-language sources, as well as native or near-native fluency in both Korean and English.

Required Application Materials: In order to receive full consideration, please submit a letter of interest, CV, copies of at least one major publication, a sample syllabus of a previously offered course, course evaluations, and contact information for three references who will be requested to provide letters of recommendation. Applicant referees will receive an email link to submit their letters of reference directly to the search committee through the PeopleAdmin interface.

Inquiries regarding the position, the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, and the Institute for Korean Studies may be directed to the chair of the search committee, Professor Seung-kyung Kim at sk84@iu.edu. Questions about technical aspects of the application process may be directed to Mr. Zac Muller, Hamilton Lugar School Assistant Director for Faculty Relations, at zmuller@iu.edu.

Application materials may be submitted via the PeopleAdmin applicant portal at: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/30604