Park Gil-sung | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Gil-Sung Park, a distinguished sociologist and public servant.

Gil-Sung Park is a prominent South Korean sociologist and Emeritus Professor of Korea University. His career spans extensive academic leadership, influential research, and significant contributions to public service. He has held key administrative positions at Korea University, including Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Graduate School, and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Beyond his university roles, Park has been a leading figure in sociological organizations, serving as President of the Korean Sociological Association, the Korean Comparative Sociological Association, and the World Association for Hallyu Studies. His commitment to social welfare is evident through his chairmanship of The Blue Tree Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting vulnerable youth and fostering a healthier social environment. He has also contributed to national advisory bodies and prestigious award selection committees, including the Samsung Ho-Am Prize and the Seoul Peace Prize. His research encompasses a wide array of sociological fields, from economic and information sociology to the study of the Korean Wave and its global implications, reflecting a perspective that values intellectual engagement for societal progress.

2. Early Life and Education

Gil-Sung Park's foundational experiences and academic pursuits laid the groundwork for his distinguished career as a sociologist.

2.1. Birth and Upbringing

Park was born on May 9, 1957, in Myungju, a region now part of Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea. His upbringing in South Korea shaped his understanding of the nation's social dynamics, which later became a central theme in his academic work.

2.2. Education

Park pursued his higher education at Korea University in Seoul, where he earned both his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees in Sociology. Following his studies in Korea, he moved to the United States to further his academic specialization, receiving his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1988. This rigorous academic journey provided the bedrock for his extensive scholarly career.

3. Academic Career

Gil-Sung Park's academic career is marked by his long tenure as a professor, his leadership in various scholarly organizations, and his service on influential committees, all contributing to the advancement of sociological discourse.

3.1. Korea University Positions

Park has had an extensive and impactful tenure at Korea University. He joined the Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, as an Assistant Professor in 1992, was promoted to Associate Professor, and became a Full Professor in 2000. Beyond his teaching and research, he assumed several significant administrative roles, including Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Dean of the Graduate School, and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. He also served as the Director of the Institute of Social Research at Korea University.

3.2. Visiting Scholar and Professor Roles

His academic engagements extended beyond Korea University to prominent international institutions. Park was a visiting scholar at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, where he engaged in advanced research and scholarly exchange. He also served as a visiting professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Furthermore, he held a position as an adjunct professor in the Department of Sociology at Utah State University.

3.3. Leadership in Academic Societies

Gil-Sung Park has held numerous leadership positions in key sociological organizations, demonstrating his commitment to the field's development. He served as the President of the Korean Sociological Association starting in 2019, having previously been its Vice President. He also led the Korean Comparative Sociological Association as its President and served as the President of the World Association for Hallyu Studies (WAHS), an organization dedicated to the study of the Korean Wave.

3.4. Committee and Advisory Roles

Park's expertise has been sought by various influential committees and advisory bodies. He was a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee of Aging and Future Society, providing insights on critical demographic and societal changes. His involvement in the selection committees for prestigious awards, such as the Samsung Ho-Am Prize and the Seoul Peace Prize, underscores his recognition within both academic and public spheres. Additionally, he served on the board of directors for the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities, and Social Sciences in Korea.

3.5. Editorial Activities

Committed to scholarly communication, Park has made significant contributions to academic publishing. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Korean Journal of Sociology, a flagship publication of the Korean Sociological Association. His editorial service also extended to the editorial boards of several international scholarly journals, including Global Policy and the International Journal of Comparative Sociology, for which he also guest-edited a special issue in 2007.

4. Research and Scholarly Work

Gil-Sung Park's research and scholarly output have significantly contributed to various subfields of sociology, offering critical insights into Korean society and global phenomena.

4.1. Major Research Areas

Park's sociological inquiry spans a wide range of topics, reflecting his broad expertise and intellectual curiosity. His key fields of research include economic sociology, information sociology, comparative sociology, developmental sociology, and the sociology of world society. He has extensively studied Korean social structure and change, with a particular focus on the impacts of globalization and the dynamics of Korean conflict consciousness. More recently, his research has concentrated on the Korean Wave (Hallyu), analyzing its social, economic, and cultural implications within both Korean and global contexts.

4.2. Selected Bibliography

Park's extensive scholarly output includes numerous books and articles, many of which have become foundational texts in their respective fields.

Park, Gil-Sung (2022). "Development and Globalization in South Korea: From Financial Crisis to K-pop." Korea University Press.
Park, Gil-Sung (2020). 한 사회학자의 어떤 처음_{A Sociologist's First Time}^Korean. Nanam Publishing.
Park, Gil-Sung, I. Oh (2017). "Political Economy of Business Ethics in East Asia." Elsevier. Pages 151-157.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2017). 전염의 상상력_{The Imagination of Contagion}^Korean. Nanam Publishing.
Park, Gil-Sung (2013). "Society makes conflict, conflict makes society." Korea University Press.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2011). 페어 소사이어티: 기회가 균등한 사회_{Fair Society: A Society of Equal Opportunity}^Korean. Korea Economic Daily.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2009). 한국인의 갈등의식 : 2007년 한국인의 갈등의식 조사 결과 분석_{Korean Conflict Consciousness: Analysis of 2007 Korean Conflict Consciousness Survey Results}^Korean. Korea University Press.
Park, Gil-Sung (2008). IMF 10년, 한국 사회 다시 보다_{10 Years After IMF, Re-examining Korean Society}^Korean. Nanam Publishing.
Park, Gil-Sung, Yong Suk Jang, and Hang-Young Lee (2007). "Global and Local Interplay: Korea's Globalization Revisited." International Journal of Comparative Sociology 48(4): 337-353.
Park, Gil-Sung and Tackmeon Lee (2007). Understanding Theories in Economic Sociology. Seoul: Namam Publishing House.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2007). 21세기 한국의 기업과 시민사회_{Korean Corporations and Civil Society in the 21st Century}^Korean. Good Information.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2006). 한국사회 권력이동_{Power Shifts in Korean Society}^Korean. Good Information.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2005). 한국사회 어디로가나_{Where is Korean Society Going}^Korean. Good Information.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2005). 현대한국인의 세대경험과 문화_{Generational Experience and Culture of Contemporary Koreans}^Korean. Jipmundang.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2004). 경제사회구조와 복지_{Economic Social Structure and Welfare}^Korean. Sohwa.
Park, Gil-Sung (2003). Restructuring of Korean Society: Forced Adjustments and Contentious Coordinations. Seoul: Korea University Press.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-translated with Yoon Sang-woo) (2003). 불평등한 세계를 바라보는 123가지 방법_{123 Ways to Look at an Unequal World}^Korean. Munhwa Design.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-translated) (2003). 현대사회학_{Modern Sociology}^Korean (4th ed.), A. Giddens. Sociology. Eulyoo Publishing.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2002). 아시아 태평양지역의 환경문제, 환경운동 및 환경정책_{Environmental Issues, Environmental Movements, and Environmental Policies in the Asia-Pacific Region}^Korean. Seoul National University Press.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (2001). 현대 한국사회의 계층구조_{Class Structure of Contemporary Korean Society}^Korean. Jipmundang.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (1999). 한국사회의 계급연구_{Study of Class in Korean Society}^Korean. Arche.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (1997). 정보정책론_{Information Policy Theory}^Korean. Nanam Publishing.
Park, Gil-Sung (1996). 세계화: 자본과 문화의 구조변동_{Globalization: Structural Changes in Capital and Culture}^Korean. Sahoe Bipyungsa.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (1996). 현대사회의 구조와 변동_{Structure and Change of Modern Society}^Korean. Sahoe Bipyungsa.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (1996). 동남아시아의 사회계층: 5개국 비교연구_{Social Stratification in Southeast Asia: A Comparative Study of 5 Countries}^Korean. Korea University Press.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-authored) (1995). 중국조선족의 사회발전과 한중관계의 위상_{Social Development of Chinese Koreans and the Status of Korea-China Relations}^Korean. Asan Social Welfare Foundation.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-edited) (1994). 신경제사회학의 이해_{Understanding New Economic Sociology}^Korean. Yeoksabipyungsa.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-translated) (1994). Sociology_Sociology^Korean, A. Giddens. Eulyoo Publishing.
Park, Gil-Sung (co-edited) (1993). 오늘의 한국사회_{Korean Society Today}^Korean. Nanam Publishing.

6. Assessment and Impact

Gil-Sung Park's extensive career has left a significant mark on the field of sociology and broader societal understanding, particularly within South Korea. His academic research, spanning diverse areas such as economic sociology, information sociology, and the Korean Wave, has provided critical analyses of contemporary social phenomena and contributed to the theoretical development of the discipline. As a leading scholar, his work has shaped discourse on globalization, social change, and conflict within Korean society.

Beyond his scholarly output, Park's leadership in academic societies, such as the Korean Sociological Association, has played a crucial role in fostering a vibrant intellectual community and promoting sociological inquiry. His administrative roles at Korea University demonstrate his commitment to academic excellence and institutional development. Furthermore, his active involvement in public service, notably as Chairman of The Blue Tree Foundation, highlights his dedication to translating academic knowledge into practical solutions for social challenges, particularly in supporting vulnerable youth. His participation in national advisory committees and prestigious award selection bodies underscores his influence and the high regard in which his expertise is held, solidifying his legacy as a scholar and public servant committed to societal progress and human rights.