The SNU Center for Contemporary Korean Studies held an international conference titled “Korea as Symptom” over two days, August 22 and 23. As the second session on the second day of the conference, the Political Economy Team and the Modernity and Development History Team jointly organized a panel titled “South Korea and Post-Cold War Geopolitics” in Room 230 of Building 101 at Seoul National University. Chaired by Professor Jiye Song (Korea University), the session featured three presentations.

In the first presentation, Miriam Bartolozzi (University of Macerata) spoke on “Promoting Human Rights and Democracy in Today’s World: Digital Activism, Popular Culture and Environmental Advocacy Among South Korean Youth.” Her presentation examined the 2024 climate litigation ruling in South Korea and the social movements led by younger generations. She also analyzed how young Koreans have recently adopted new forms of protest and mobilization through digital platforms and popular culture.

In the second presentation, Cristina Preutu (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) presented “Korean Peninsula and Romania in the Context of Collapse of Communist Bloc and the Reshaping of New Geopolitical Order,” offering a comparative political analysis of Korea and Romania. The Korean Peninsula and Romania experienced comparable forms of geopolitical division during the Cold War. Building on this historical context, she compared Romania’s process of democratization with North Korea’s socialist system and analyzed the different paths each took following the end of the Cold War.

Finally, Trung Hiep Nguyen (Seoul National University) presented “From War to Cultural Exchange: The Evolution of Korea-Vietnam Relations as Symptom of Geopolitical Transformation,” examining the changing relationship between South Korea and Vietnam. The two countries have moved from military confrontation to a strategic partnership, a transformation in which economic interdependence and cultural exchange have played important roles. Nguyen presented this development as an example of cooperation in an increasingly multipolar world.

The session highlighted both domestic and international transformations surrounding South Korea in the post-Cold War geopolitical order. Together, the presentations offered useful perspectives for understanding South Korea’s political position within a broader global context and provided insight into the country’s trajectory in the post-Cold War era.