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About the Irish Institute of Korean Studies

The Irish Institute of Korean Studies is led by Dr Kevin N. Cawley, Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies. He is the author of Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea (2019) and is an editor for Stanford University's Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

The objectives of the Irish Institute of Korean Studies are: 

- To teach the language, history, economics, politics, and culture of Korea in Ireland.

- To promote mutual understanding between the peoples of Ireland and Korea.

- To contribute to the teaching and research capacity of the School of Asian Studies at UCC.

- To facilitate staff and student exchange between UCC and other Irish universities, and partner institutions in Korea.

- To encourage and develop research areas of mutual interest and benefit to Ireland and Korea.

- To increase awareness of Korean society and culture among the general public in Ireland.

- To develop adult continuous education courses in the Korean language and other Korea-related topics.

- To facilitate co-operation and contact between Korean and Irish business and commerce.

News

30 Jul 2026

€ 180,000 SEED Award from the Academy of Korean Studies for Korean Studies at UCC Awarded to Dr Kevin Cawley, Irish Institute of Korean Studies

Supporting a 3-year programme of partnerships, student opportunities, and cultural exchange. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS                     Collaboration with leading universities and scholars worldwide. STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES                                Several Scholarships and research opportunities in South Korea. CULTURAL EXCHANGE                                       Bringing leading Korean authors and translators to UCC for workshops and literary events.    
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22 Jun 2026

Irish Ambassador to Korea

Dr Kevin Cawley (UCC) meets the Irish Ambassador to Korea, her Excellency Michelle Winthrop, in Seoul, at the Kevin O'Rourke Library at the embassy.
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07 May 2026

NewsTalk Podcast

On Today's NewsTALK podcast, Dr Kevin Cawley was interviewed by Seán Moncrieff about an ongoing issue between North and South Korea - the way each country articulates or describes the other. Do they use their official names, or politically loaded names instead?Listen here: How do the two Koreas describe each other? | Newstalk
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08 Apr 2025

Korean Studies Student Success: Sarah Coughlan

  "I graduated from UCC in 2023 with a joint BA in Asian Studies and Politics. Thanks to my time as a student of Asian Studies at UCC, I was able to secure a position as an international sales assistant at The Quarto Group, a global illustrated book publishing group based in London. I have since become an international sales executive, covering Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, where I work with numerous international distributors to ensure our books are sold effectively throughout these regions.  My background in Asian studies played a significant part in helping me secure this role as I was able to demonstrate a strong knowledge of the markets I would be selling to. Korean Studies was especially valuable to me as my deeper understanding of the culture, and history, and politics that continue to shape the Korean market set me apart from other interview candidates. Having spent a year studying in Korea through the study abroad programme, I was also able to stand out from others as I had experienced Korea not just from an academic perspective, but also from the perspective of daily life, which has helped me build strong relationships with our Korean customers."  
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Department of Asian Studies

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