The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on the 15th that it will conduct the 2026 'Homeland Defense Training' from October 19 to 30 to enhance joint operations capability and inspect military readiness. This annual large-scale field maneuver exercise is intended to strengthen ROK-led autonomous defense capability by integrating ground, sea, and air multi-domain joint forces for realism. The training will include realistic field maneuvers such as opposing force operations and bilateral exercises, and will incorporate command post exercises and tactical discussions to establish a state of readiness. Two of seven combined field maneuver exercises adjusted during the ROK-US joint exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield will be conducted in conjunction with this training.

The Republic of Korea Air Force will host the 2026 Sacheon Airshow at Sacheon Air Force Base in Gyeongsangnam-do from October 22 to 25. Organized with Gyeongsangnam-do, Sacheon City, and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the four-day event features aerial demonstrations including the KF-21 fighter, the Air Force aerobatic team the Black Eagles, and international acts such as an Australian civilian aerobatic team. On-site displays will allow visitors to view aircraft and equipment up close, and there will be military band and ceremonial drill performances, parachute jumps, and combat search-and-rescue demonstrations. The Air Force aims to develop the show as an international event to support the domestic aerospace industry and defense exports.

The National Peace and Unification Democracy Education Institute's Korean Peninsula Unification Future Center will hold its 2026 national opening event on the 24th. Themed "Linking Peace, Opening the Future," the event aims to expand communication with the Yeoncheon-gun local community and let citizens experience the meaning of peace and unification through cultural performances (e.g., Unification Magic Concert, balloon art), hands-on programs (Unification Golden Bell, woodworking, bracelet and succulent making), and side events including medical volunteer services, social enterprise tastings, face painting, traditional games, and giveaways. Free integrated Western and Korean medical services and medical kits for veterans' families will be offered. The event is open to all citizens with no prior registration required.

On October 26, the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts and the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) will host a discussion of U.S.-South Korea shipbuilding cooperation and what it means for economic security and naval readiness. South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha and KEI President and CEO Scott Snyder will deliver remarks, followed by an expert panel on the economic and national security implications of closer cooperation between the two countries. The program comes as the United States seeks to strengthen its shipbuilding industry and South Korea, which has committed USD 150 billion to U.S. shipbuilding cooperation, takes on a larger role in expanding industrial capacity, supporting naval readiness, and securing supply chains. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited, and RSVPs are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Director of Communications Arius Derr ([email protected]) for details.

On October 27, the Louisiana State University (LSU) Office of Global Engagement, in collaboration with the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) and the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will host a public program on how investment, innovation, and advanced manufacturing are shaping the U.S.-South Korea partnership. Following opening remarks from LSU leadership and South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha, an expert panel moderated by Areendam Chanda of LSU will examine international investment, research collaboration, emerging technologies, advanced manufacturing, and opportunities for engagement among South Korea, Louisiana, and LSU. The program is open to LSU students, faculty, and staff, as well as industry partners and community guests. Registration is required, and light refreshments will be served. Registration required: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/7YAHGVu4JF

'2026 DMZ OPEN EcoPeace Forum' will be held on October 28 at SonoCam Goyang, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Unification, Gyeonggi Province, and the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The forum, themed 'Walking the Path of Peaceful Coexistence,' includes an opening at 10:00, a keynote address by Valerie Julezo (EHESS, France) titled 'The Meaning and Potential of the Path of Peace: A Geographical Reverie Along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ),' and afternoon sessions on peaceful use and cooperation for the DMZ, dialogue for peaceful coexistence in Northeast Asia, and ecological peace cooperation. The event features public engagement activities such as the 'DMZ Big Game' experience zone and is open to visitors, with various events and souvenir distribution.

On October 29, the Future of Korea program, a partnership of the World Affairs Councils of America and the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), comes to Toledo for a business networking breakfast and roundtable. The World Affairs Council of Northwest Ohio hosts, in collaboration with RGP Northwest Ohio, the Regional Growth Partnership. The discussion will examine what the U.S.-South Korea economic relationship means for Northwest Ohio businesses, from trade and investment to manufacturing, supply chains, and economic development. Panelists include Tom Ramage, economic policy analyst and fellow at KEI; Kim Minjung, attaché for food and drug safety at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States; and Paul Stahle, Korea Trusted Tech and Trade Fellow at the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue. D. Paul Zito, vice president of international development at RGP Northwest Ohio, will moderate. Networking and a continental breakfast begin at... [truncated for button]

The Institute for Future Strategy at Seoul National University and SBS host SDF 2026 under the theme 'In the Era of Alternative Intelligence, Asking About Sovereignty of Thought.' The forum will explore impacts of agentic AI on decision-making, human autonomy, and social systems. Speakers include Eliezer Yudkowsky and Philip Koralus, alongside Korean scholars presenting research on AI's effects on Korean society. Date: November 5, 2026. Venue: Art Hall 1, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul. Online pre-registration runs from October 6 to October 30. More information and registration: https://www.sdf.or.kr/2026/ko

We are hosting the 64th Open Lecture on Unification Studies as follows. This lecture will cover research methods analyzing the gap between the ideologies and realities of North Korean society through video materials from the Kim Jong-un era. We ask for your interest and participation.

This lecture will critically analyze the gap between the ideology and reality of North Korean society through audiovisual materials from the Kim Jong-un era.