Korea Policy Forum: “The Implications of Demographic Decline for South Korean National Security”

Speaker: Troy Stangarone, Senior Director of Congressional Affairs and Trade, Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
Moderator: Celeste Arrington, Korea Foundation Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, the George Washington University

Date & Time
Thursday, April 4th, 2019, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Venue
The Chung-wen Shih Conference Room, Suite 503
Elliott School of International Affairs, the George Washington University
1957 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20052

Event Description
South Korea is undergoing rapid aging that will see more those over the age of 65 account for more than 30 percent of the population by 2040. As South Korea’s population ages and declines, it will have long-term implications for South Korean society and the economy. The implications of these changes for economic growth and social spending are often discussed, but what will they mean for South Korean national security? What steps has the South Korean government taken to address the challenges for national security from demographic decline and are there any additional steps they can take?

Speaker: Troy Stangarone, Senior Director of Congressional Affairs and Trade, Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)
Troy Stangarone is at the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) where he is the Senior Director of Congressional Affairs and Trade. He recently concluded a Posco Fellowship at the East-West Center where he focused on the issue of demographics and national security. At KEI, he focuses on issues pertaining to U.S.-Korea relations, South Korea’s foreign and economic policy, and North Korea. In addition to his work at KEI, Mr. Stangarone is a member of the George Mason University|Korea President’s Advisory Board, the International Council of Korean Studies Board, and the Korea-America Student Conference’s National Advisory Committee. Prior to joining KEI, Mr. Stangarone worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Robert Torricelli on issues relating to foreign affairs and trade.

Moderator: Celeste Arrington, the George Washington University
Celeste Arrington is Korea Foundation Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at GW. She specializes in comparative politics, with a regional focus on the Koreas and Japan. Her research and teaching focus on law and social movements, the media, lawyers, policy processes, historical justice, North Korean human rights, and qualitative methods. She is also interested in the international relations and security of Northeast Asia and transnational activism. She is the author of Accidental Activists: Victims and Government Accountability in South Korea and Japan (2016) and has published in Comparative Political Studies, Law & Society Review, Journal of East Asian Studies, Pacific Affairs, Asian Survey, and the Washington Post, among others. She received a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and an A.B. from Princeton University. She is currently writing a book that analyzes the role of lawyers and legal activism in Japanese and Korean policies related to persons with disabilities and tobacco control.

Light lunch will be served. This event is on the record and open to the media.