College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University

September 28, 2005

Iowa State political science professor to receive 2005 Global Korea Award

Young Kihl, professor of political science at Iowa State University, has been named a recipient of the 2005 Global Korea Award.

The honor, which is presented annually by the Council on Korean Studies at Michigan State University, was awarded to Kihl for "his unselfish commitment to the well-being of the Korean community and global society, his significant contribution to improving understanding between Korea and the rest of the world, and his devotion to quality education for the next generation."

A member of the Iowa State University faculty since 1974, Kihl is one of the world's leading scholars in international relations. He has devoted much of his career to expanding international programs and activities at Iowa State through his teaching and participation in the ISU World Food Institute, Institute on World Affairs and other programs.

He is also the recent recipient of the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence.

He is the author of two recent books including Transforming Korean Politics: Democracy, Reform and Culture. The book explores how the South Korean government and society have been shaped not only by the dynamics of modernization, democratization and globalization, but also by their interaction with the cultural norms of post-Confucian society.

Kihl is serving as a co-editor of a second book, North Korea: The Politics of Regime Survival, which will be published later this year. In this book, Kihl examines how the standoff between North and South Korea needs resolution and how North Korea will need help to abandon its posture of isolation before eventually interacting with its neighboring countries a s a friendly nation.
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