“America at 250: A View from Korea,” April 10 America 250 Lecture with Mizzou PhD Alum and Chung-Ang University Prof. Brandon Clark

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For the first of two America 250 lectures scheduled for April, Brandon Park, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, will take an empirical approach, examining contemporary public opinion data to assess the present state of the US-Korea relationship (see description below). The lecture will be held on Friday, April 10 in the Tiger Hotel ballroom, with the talk beginning at 5pm and a reception to follow. Anyone interested in attending can RSVP (recommended, but not required) using the link above.

“Public Opinion and the Future of the US-Korea Alliance”

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, how do Koreans see America—as an ally, a partner, and a global power? This lecture examines contemporary Korean perspectives by drawing on a decade of public opinion data, from 2015 to the present. While the history of the US-Korea relationship provides important context, the central focus is on how ordinary Koreans today assess the United States in a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment. I also draw on my time as an exchange student at the University of South Dakota in 2001–2002, including how I felt a strong sense of inclusiveness—especially in the moment of 9/11—as well as my experiences as a graduate student in political science at the University of Missouri.

The lecture explores multiple dimensions of Korean public attitudes: levels of favorability toward the United States, support for the US–Korea alliance, and views on the continued presence of American forces on the peninsula. It also looks at confidence in America’s extended deterrence commitments, and how Koreans evaluate trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States at a time when historical tensions remain vivid. Finally, it considers how Korea’s public positions itself within the growing rivalry between the United States and China, weighing national interests against competing pressures.

By weaving these themes together, the lecture seeks to capture how America is understood from Seoul at this pivotal moment—highlighting both continuities and shifts in perception. In doing so, it offers insights not only into the durability of the alliance but also into the broader question of what role Koreans expect America to play in Asia’s uncertain future.

A scholar of comparative politics with a focus on the function of democratic accountability mechanisms in liberal and illiberal elections, Brandon Park received his PhD in Political Science from Mizzou in 2018 and currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Seoul’s Chung-Ang University.

The Spring 2026 America at 250: Global Perspectives Lecture Series is brought to you in partnership with the State Historical Society of Missouri