On 17 July 2025, Dr. Kang, Senior Research Fellow at the DPRK Strategic Research Center and Assistant Professor at KIMEP University, visited the University of North Korean Studies (UNKS) in Seoul as part of an academic outreach tour across South Korea. The purpose of the visit was to introduce KIMEP University, the Center, and the research of Dr. Chan Young Bang to one of the region’s leading institutions in North Korean studies.

Dr. Kang delivered a presentation highlighting KIMEP’s academic mission and the center’s work on the political economy of North Korea, with a particular focus on Dr. Bang’s recent research. The visit also held personal significance for Dr. Kang, who is an alumnus of UNKS’s MA program. With a distinguished record of scholarship and alumni that includes two former Ministers of Unification, UNKS remains a key partner for future cooperation and dialogue.