Dr. Han S. Park
Scholar. Humanitarian. Bridge-Builder for Peace.
For more than four decades, Dr. Han S. Park dedicated his life to advancing peace through dialogue, empathy, education, and human connection across political and cultural divides.
“Peace is harmony, and harmony is many differences coming together for a united whole.”
— Dr. Han S. Park
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Han S. Park (1939–2026) was an internationally renowned scholar, professor, humanitarian, author, peace activist, and trusted advisor to world leaders. As Professor of International Affairs and founding Director of the Center for the Study of Global Issues (GLOBIS) at the University of Georgia, Dr. Park influenced generations of students, scholars, diplomats, and peacebuilders around the world.
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Known internationally for his work in Track II diplomacy and Korean Peninsula peacebuilding, Dr. Park became a rare bridge between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States during some of the most politically fragile moments in modern history. His life’s work was rooted in one belief:
"Peace is not merely the absence of war — peace is an active state of harmony built through empathy, dignity, understanding, and the accommodation of differences."
A LIFE SHAPED BY WAR
Born in China to Korean immigrant parents during the Chinese Revolution, Dr. Park’s early life was defined by displacement, violence, and separation. Fleeing political turmoil in China, his family sought refuge in Korea, only to find themselves caught in the devastation of the Korean War.
These experiences left a permanent imprint on him. Having witnessed the human cost of ideological division firsthand, he dedicated his life to understanding the forces that drive conflict and discovering pathways toward reconciliation.
After graduating from Seoul National University in 1963, Dr. Park moved to the United States to continue his education. He earned a Master’s degree from American University in 1967 and later completed his PhD in Political Science at the University of Minnesota in 1971.
Rather than allowing war to define him through fear or resentment, Dr. Park transformed personal tragedy into a lifelong mission of peacebuilding and human understanding.
BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS DIVIDES
Throughout his 45-year career at the University of Georgia, Dr. Park became internationally respected for his role in diplomacy and conflict resolution surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
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His unique background, born in China, raised through the Korean War, and educated in the United States which allowed him to navigate cultural and political divides with rare credibility and trust.
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Dr. Park visited North Korea more than sixty times, engaging in unofficial diplomacy efforts designed to reduce tensions and create channels for communication between governments and peoples who often viewed one another with fear and suspicion.
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Over the years, he helped facilitate numerous Track II diplomacy conferences involving scholars, experts, diplomats, and government officials from North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, and the United States.
Among his most notable contributions:
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Assisting in the historic diplomatic efforts surrounding former President Jimmy Carter’s visit to North Korea
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Working behind the scenes to support negotiations that led to former President Bill Clinton’s humanitarian mission to Pyongyang and the release of detained American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee in 2009
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Creating spaces for dialogue during periods of escalating political tension on the Korean Peninsula
Dr. Park believed deeply that engagement and dialogue were more powerful than isolation and hostility.
“Dialogue over consensus. Engagement over sanctions. Peace as harmony.”
PEACE AS A HUMAN POSSIBILITY
As founding director of GLOBIS, Dr. Park challenged conventional understandings of peace and international relations.
He taught students that peace could not simply be defined as the absence of violence or military conflict. Instead, peace required active participation, empathy, justice, dignity, and mutual recognition between peoples and nations.
Influenced by Positive Peace frameworks and in collaboration with peace scholar Johan Galtung, Dr. Park helped bring discussions of Positive Peace to universities throughout the American South, including the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Emory University, Kennesaw State University, and Morehouse College.
His philosophy emphasized:
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Human dignity
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Cultural understanding
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Sovereignty and self-reliance
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Acceptance of differences
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Healing historical trauma
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Dialogue as a tool for transformation
He often encouraged students to move beyond purely Western political frameworks and seek to understand countries and cultures within their own historical and social contexts.
REUNITING FAMILIES, RESTORING HUMANITY
Early in his career, Dr. Park founded Uniting Families, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to reconnecting families separated by war and political division.
Through this work, he successfully reunited hundreds of families who had lost contact for decades due to the Korean War and geopolitical separation.
The mission was deeply personal.
After years of separation, Dr. Park himself was reunited with family members in China whom he had believed lost forever.
This experience reinforced one of his central beliefs: that peace is ultimately about people — not politics.
EDUCATOR, MENTOR, HUMANITARIAN
Dr. Park’s impact extended far beyond diplomacy.
For thousands of students, he was a transformational educator whose classrooms challenged assumptions, expanded worldviews, and inspired a generation of global citizens.
At a time of civil rights tensions and anti-war movements in the American South, Dr. Park embraced the opportunity to teach and build bridges in communities wrestling with division and social change.
He believed America’s strength came from its diversity:
“America’s true strength lies in its ability to accommodate different perspectives… and it is this diversity that allows America to be uniquely positioned as a global peacemaker.”
Through GLOBIS, he expanded study abroad programs across Europe, Asia, and South Africa, helping students develop firsthand cultural understanding and global awareness.
HONORS & RECOGNITION
In 2010, the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel awarded Dr. Park the prestigious Gandhi King Ikeda Community Builders Prize for his extraordinary leadership in nonviolent conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
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Past recipients include:
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Nelson Mandela
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Desmond Tutu
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Coretta Scott King
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Rosa Parks
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Mikhail Gorbachev
BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS
Dr. Park authored numerous influential books exploring globalization, human development, Korean politics, and peacebuilding, including:
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Quest for Peace: A Memoir
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Globalization: Blessing or Curse?
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North Korea: Ideology, Politics, Economy
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North Korea: The Politics of Unconventional Wisdom
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Human Needs and Political Development
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North Korea Demystified
THE HAN PARK PEACE INSTITUTE
In 2019, Dr. Park founded the Han Park Peace Institute Korea Reunification Initiative to develop a comprehensive blueprint for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
Today, the institute continues his vision by advancing:
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Peace education
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Positive Peace research
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Cross-cultural dialogue
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Human-centered diplomacy
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Practical peacebuilding initiatives
The Institute is committed to carrying forward Dr. Park’s belief that humanity must evolve toward a new paradigm of peace rooted in empathy, dignity, and shared humanity.
THE HAN PARK PEACE INSTITUTE
In 2019, Dr. Park founded the Han Park Peace Institute Korea Reunification Initiative to develop a comprehensive blueprint for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
Today, the institute continues his vision by advancing:
-
Peace education
-
Positive Peace research
-
Cross-cultural dialogue
-
Human-centered diplomacy
-
Practical peacebuilding initiatives
The Institute is committed to carrying forward Dr. Park’s belief that humanity must evolve toward a new paradigm of peace rooted in empathy, dignity, and shared humanity.
Timeline
1939
Born in China to Korean immigrant parents
Korean War Era
Family displaced by war and political violence
1963
Graduated from Seoul National University
1967
Earned Master’s degree from American University
1963
Graduated from Seoul National University
1963
Graduated from Seoul National University
1971
Completed PhD at the University of Minnesota
1970s–2020s
Professor and founding Director of GLOBIS at the University of Georgia
1980s–2010s
Conducted extensive Track II diplomacy and peace initiatives involving North Korea
2009
Assisted behind-the-scenes efforts leading to release of detained American journalists in North Korea
2010
Awarded Gandhi King Ikeda Community Builders Prize
2019
Founded Han Park Peace Institute Korea Reunification Initiative
2026
Passed away, leaving a global legacy of peacebuilding and dialogue
LEGACY SECTION / DONATION CTA
Continue Dr. Park’s Legacy
Dr. Han S. Park devoted his life to advancing peace through education, dialogue, empathy, and human connection. The Han Park Peace Institute exists to continue that mission for future generations.
Your support helps expand peace education, international dialogue initiatives, research, cultural exchange, and programs dedicated to building a more harmonious world.
