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Abstract

This study explores the institutionalization, development, and ongoing challenges of regional studies in Taiwan’s higher education system, with a specific focus on Korean Studies. It examines how Taiwan’s growing interest in South Korea, shaped by historical, political, and cultural ties as well as the widespread influence of Korean popular culture, has stimulated the expansion of Korean language learning and academic engagement. Through a comprehensive analysis of Korean Studies programs across Taiwanese universities, the study identifies a clear rise in student enrollment and curricular diversification, with course offerings now extending beyond language instruction to encompass interdisciplinary topics such as Korean politics, economy, and society. Despite this progress, the study reveals persistent limitations in institutional support, including the scarcity of full-fledged departments, uneven faculty distribution, and limited graduate research output. Drawing on insights from the sociology of knowledge, the paper argues that the current development of Korean Studies remains socially driven but only partially institutionalized. To address these challenges, it calls for strategic policy interventions such as the establishment of new departments, the integration of Korean Studies into interdisciplinary programs, and stronger alignment with career pathways to enhance the field’s academic legitimacy and ensure its sustainable development within Taiwan’s higher education landscape.

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