For three weeks starting in mid-May 2026 CEAS associate director David Fields and seventeen UW undergraduate students explored the history of US-Korean relations as well as Korea’s development on location in South Korea. This faculty-led study abroad program was made possible by the UW’s Global Gateway Initiative.
Working with CIEE—a study-abroad provider in Seoul—Fields and a dedicated team at the UW’s International Academic Programs (IAP) spent more than a year designing a program that included visits to World Heritage sites, Korean War battlefields, giant shipyards, and even a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) production facility.
“An absolute highlight of the program was the visits to the Chipyoung-ri and White Horse Hill battle sites, which were jointly led by retired American and South Korean colonels,” said Fields. “It is one thing to read about these battles, it is another to see the lay of the land where they were fought and to have the history explained by individuals with such deep expertise.”
In addition to the sites above, students had the chance to meet notable Korean leaders including ROK General CHUN In-bum; MOON Chung-in, former Special Advisor to an ROK Presidents; and Sarah Yun, the Chief Regional Officer for Liberty in North Korea.
While travel made up an important part of the program, the students also took a 3-credit course on US-Korean relations while in Korea. A core aspect of this course was passing a written objective exam on the final day of the program that covered more than 130 foundational events, individuals, and concepts central to the history of US-Korean relations from 1882 to the present.
South Korea will remain a location for the Global Gateway Program for the summers of 2027 and 2028. Next year’s program will be led by CEAS faculty Steve Gagnon and will focus on language and culture.
To learn more about study abroad opportunities, be sure to stop by the:
Study Abroad Fair
Tuesday, Sept 29, 3-6 pm @ Gordon Dining & Event Center
Discover why so many Badgers make study abroad a part of their experience at UW-Madison! The fair is a great way to learn the basics of the study abroad planning process, explore programs, international internships, research opportunities, and more! You can even explore how to fund your experience abroad and begin to focus your search to find the program that’s best for you.