Mission

Located at the University of Vienna, the European Centre for North Korean Studies (ECNK) is a platform for scholars and researchers to pursue multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and comparative research on North Korea. 

We endeavor to help interested colleagues from within and outside Europe to accomplish the following goals:

  • Define and develop North Korean Studies as a field through research and collaboration.
  • Work with current and potential stakeholders.
  • Find, discuss, and improve data, sources, and methods.
  • Further institutionalize the field of North Korean studies. 

The ECNK will support these objectives through the following actions:

  • Hosting individual researchers or research groups who have acquired funding, or intend to do so, and need an institution through which to pursue their research projects on North Korea.
  • Building and supporting a network of researchers from the field of North Korean Studies or among those whose research involves a substantive focus on North Korea through non-resident fellowships and a Ph.D. Network.
  • Connecting European and non-European colleagues by hosting joint events, such as conferences and workshops.
  • Hosting North Korea-related databases.

To learn more about the motivation behind the ECNK and who we are, read our Background statement. You can submit a plan for collaboration at the Join Us page. 


 Most Recent Announcements

02.09.2026
 

[ECNK Webinar] Miss Kathi: Saving Lives in North Korea

Join us on September 2, 2026 (13:00-14:00 CEST) for a webinar marking the latest publication by Katharina Zellweger and Mike Chinoy.

19.08.2026
 

[ECNK Webinar] Solo Engagement: Meeting DPR Korea Sport Delegations in a Polarized World

Join the European Centre for North Korean Studies (ECNK) on August 19th for a webinar with Yong Ja Hong on DPRK international sports policy.

04.08.2026
 

[ECNK Webinar] No Previews in Pyongyang: Reform Discourse and Policy Change in North Korea

Join the European Centre for North Korean Studies (ECNK) on August 4th for a webinar with Steven Denney and Peter Ward on reform discourse and policy...

29.07.2026
 

[Call for Applications] President of the NCNK

The National Committee on North Korea is seeking a highly qualified candidate to serve as its next President, starting on November 30, 2026.

24.06.2026
 

[Journal Article] North Korean Sport Diplomacy in the Olympic Movement Under the Kim Jong-un Regime

In this article, Jung Woo Lee critically examines the Kim Jong-un regime's sport diplomacy at the Olympic Games.

08.06.2026
 

[Interview] Xi bei Kim: So positionieren sich China und Nordkorea gegen den Westen (German)

In an interview with ZDF, Prof. Rüdiger Frank comments on this week's China-DPRK summit between Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.