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Remco Breuker is a Professor of Korean Studies at Leiden University’s Humanities Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), specializing in medieval Korean and Northeast Asian history, North Korean affairs, and contemporary issues. His research bridges historical analysis with modern geopolitical challenges, particularly focusing on marginalized voices and historical narratives. He leads ERC-sponsored and LeidenAsiaCentre-funded projects on Manchurian histories and North Korean forced labor in the EU. Breuker holds a PhD from Leiden University and has held post-doctoral and visiting researcher roles at institutions like the Australian National University. Education: MA in Japanese Studies (Leiden University, 1997) MA in Korean Studies (Leiden University, 1997) MA in Korean History (Seoul National University, 2001) PhD in Korean History (Leiden University, 2006) Research Interests: Breuker’s work examines medieval Korea’s Koryŏ dynasty, Northeast Asian historiography, and modern North Korean political dynamics. He translates modern Korean literature into Dutch, emphasizing marginalized perspectives and cultural hybridity. Recent projects include analyzing North Korean forced labor networks and reinterpreting ancient Manchurian histories’ contemporary relevance. Awards: 2010 KNAW Heineken Young Scientist Award Academy of Korean Studies Translation Grants (2010, 2008) NWO VENI Research Grant (2008) Advisees & Grants: Supervises PhD candidates researching Korean-Vietnam War linkages, Japanese-Korean relations, and North Korean forced labor. Secured grants exceeding €600,000 for translation projects and interdisciplinary research. Leads LIAS initiatives and serves on Leiden’s Slavery Studies Association. Labs/Teams: Coordinates the History as Social Practice project and the Slavery Studies Leiden network, fostering collaborative research on historical narratives and modern exploitation systems.

• Korean medieval history
• Northeast Asian history
• Korean cinema
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Dr. David Shim is a Senior Lecturer (UD1) at the Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, specializing in visual politics within International Relations. He holds a PhD in Political Science (International Relations) from the University of Hamburg (2012) and a Habilitation from Bundeswehr University Munich (2022). His research explores the intersection of visual media and global politics, with particular focus on comics, memorials, film, photography, and satellite imagery in geopolitical contexts. His work has examined representations of North Korea, climate activism, military recruitment, and peacebuilding practices. Key article trends show engagement with visual analysis across multiple domains: from 2013's examination of North Korean visual politics to 2024-2025 studies of climate activist visual strategies on TikTok/Instagram. He investigates how digital imagery shapes peacebuilding (2025), how satellite imagery constructs geopolitical imaginaries (2014), and how popular media like comics affect geopolitical understanding (2017). He serves on the Research Committee – Visual Politics, as Board Member for the International Political Science Association, and as Advisory Board member for the German Association for Asian Studies. His teaching focuses on International Relations theory and East Asian politics.

• Visual Politics
• International Relations
• Political Geography/Critical Geopolitics
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