최종현학술원 | Chey Institute for Advanced Studies

What 최종현학술원 | Chey Institute for Advanced Studies does

Chey Institute for Advanced Studies (최종현학술원) is a Seoul-headquartered, private non-profit foundation think tank established in 2018-2019 by SK Group to commemorate the 20th anniversary of late SK Chairman Chey Jong-hyon, with Chey Tae-won serving as both SK Group Chairman and institute Chairman. The institute operates as a knowledge exchange platform organized around three programmatic pillars: Geopolitics & Geoeconomics (Trans-Pacific Dialogue, special lectures, joint programs with think tanks such as Brookings, CSIS, Harvard Belfer Center, and IFRI), Scientific Innovation (Science and Technology Innovation Council of 52+ scholars, Scientific Innovation Series, Grand Quests with Seoul National University, UKC with KSEA), and Global Academic Exchange (annual Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Tianjin, Nanjing, Shandong, Bangkok, and Hanoi Forums; 17 Asia Research Centers across 8 countries; the ISEF International Scholar Exchange Fellowship, which has hosted 1,025+ scholars from 91 Chinese institutions, 16 Vietnamese institutions, and others since 2000).

The institute's underlying 'platform' is not a technology product but a convening and research infrastructure: long-standing co-hosting arrangements with premier Asian universities (Peking University since 2004, Fudan University since 2005, University of Tokyo since 2019, plus Tsinghua, Nanjing, Nankai, Zhejiang, and others), an invitation-based scholar and policymaker network, a publication portfolio (issue briefs, policy reports, Science Note columns), and digital channels (bilingual website, YouTube, newsletter). Its core 'technology' is the institutional capacity to convene high-level Asia-focused geopolitical and scientific dialogue.

The institute does not operate a commercial revenue model. As a Korean foundation (재단법인), it is sustained by SK Group-affiliated resources and partner co-funding. The only direct economic transfer is the ISEF stipend of 3.5 million KRW per month to invited scholars. Target 'customers' (more accurately beneficiaries) are global policymakers, diplomats, academic researchers, and select corporate executives — with primary engagement via in-person forums, publications, and online media.

Name

최종현학술원 | Chey Institute for Advanced Studies

Legal name

재단법인 최종현학술원

Website

https://chey.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Seoul-headquartered non-profit foundation think tank affiliated with SK Group that convenes geopolitics, geoeconomics, and scientific innovation dialogue via annual forums (Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo), 17 Asia Research Centers across 8 Asian countries, and the ISEF scholar exchange program serving 1,025+ alumni since 2000.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research & Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC), Education, Research & Academic Congresses (THAHAJAD), Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Policy research institute
• International academic forums
• Scholar exchange fellowships
• Geopolitical analysis
• Scientific innovation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Chey Institute for Advanced Studies is a non-profit knowledge exchange platform that organizes international forums (Trans-Pacific Dialogue, Beijing Forum, Shanghai Forum, Tokyo Forum), operates 17 Asia Research Centers across 8 countries, runs the International Scholar Exchange Fellowship (ISEF) hosting 1,025+ scholars since 2000, and convenes the Science and Technology Innovation Council with 52+ scholars. It produces policy reports, forum proceedings, and the Science Note publication series focused on geopolitics, geoeconomics, and scientific innovation.

Product overview

The Chey Institute for Advanced Studies is a non-profit knowledge exchange platform organized into three main programmatic areas: Geopolitics & Geoeconomics, Scientific Innovation, and Global Exchange. Under Geopolitics & Geoeconomics, it operates the Trans-Pacific Dialogue (TPD), Workshops & Conferences, and Joint Programs. The Scientific Innovation division encompasses the Science and Technology Innovation Council, Scientific Innovation Series, Grand Quests, UKC (US-Korea Conference), and COVID-19 Special Webinar Series. The Global Exchange program includes International Forums (Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo Forums, etc.), ARC (Asia Research Center) with 17 centers across Asia, and ISEF (International Scholar Exchange Fellowship). The Institute also publishes Science Notes as a public science communication resource. These programs collectively aim to analyze geopolitical and scientific innovation challenges, foster international academic exchange, and contribute to peaceful prosperity through knowledge creation and dissemination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trans-Pacific Dialogue (TPD)
• Joint Programs
• Scientific Innovation Series
• UKC (US-Korea Conference)
• ARC (Asia Research Center)
• Science Note

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,025+ international scholars supported through ISEF program since 2000
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• University of TokyoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership since 2019 for the Tokyo Forum and Asia Research Center. University of Tokyo co-hosts the annual Tokyo Forum as a symbol of Korea-Japan cooperation despite political fluctuations in bilateral relations.
• Fudan UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Partnership since 2005 for the Shanghai Forum and Asia Research Center in Shanghai. Fudan University co-hosts the annual Shanghai Forum focused on economic globalization and Asia's choices.
• Peking UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Long-standing partnership since 2004 for the Beijing Forum and Asia Research Center. Peking University co-hosts the annual Beijing Forum with the institute, which has become one of Asia's premier international academic conferences with 500+ global scholars attending annually.
• The Brookings InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational think tank partnership for joint research and dialogue on geopolitics, international relations, and policy analysis. Brookings is one of the world's leading policy research organizations.
• Harvard Kennedy School Belfer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs for collaborative research on science, technology, and international security policy.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with leading US think tank for joint conferences, reports, and policy dialogue on geopolitics, security, and economic issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region.
• Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with French international relations institute for collaborative analysis and dialogue on global geopolitics and policy issues.
• Nankai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2004 for Asia Research Center in Tianjin and co-hosting of Tianjin Forum since 2015 focusing on urban development and governance.
• Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for UKC (US-Korea Conference), the largest Korea-US science and technology conference. KSEA organizes the annual event and the institute co-hosts special sessions.
• Renmin University of ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2003 for Asia Research Center in Beijing and International Confucian Forum since 2004, exploring Confucian philosophy and its relevance to contemporary global challenges.
• Zhejiang UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2011 for Asia Research Center in Hangzhou supporting academic exchange and research collaboration.
• Liaoning UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2002 for Asia Research Center in Shenyang and Northeast Asia Forum since 2005.
• Yanbian UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2006 for Asia Research Center in Yanji and Tumen River Forum since 2008.
• Chinese Academy of Social SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Asia Research Center supporting social sciences research collaboration between China and Korea.
• Tsinghua UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Asia Research Center at Tsinghua University, one of China's leading institutions.
• Nanjing UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2015 for Nanjing Forum and Asia Research Center, focusing on Northeast Asian peace, security, and prosperity.
• Communication University of ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2003 for Asia Media Research Center (the only media-specialized ARC) and Asia Media Forum.
• East Asia InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Korean research institute for collaborative policy research and dialogue on East Asian affairs.
• World Knowledge ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with major Korean knowledge platform for global intellectual discourse.
• Jeju Peace InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for peace and security research in Northeast Asia.
• Vietnam National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2002 for Asia Research Center in Hanoi and Hanoi Forum since 2018 on sustainable development and climate change.
• Chulalongkorn UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2002 for Asia Research Center in Bangkok and Bangkok Forum since 2018 on social sustainability.
• National University of MongoliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2002 for Asia Research Center in Ulaanbaatar supporting academic exchange in Mongolia.
• Yangon UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2002 for Asia Research Center in Yangon supporting academic collaboration in Myanmar.
• Royal Academy of CambodiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2005 for Asia Research Center in Phnom Penh and Southeast Asian Cultural Values Forum since 2005.
• National University of LaoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2002 for Asia Research Center in Vientiane supporting Lao academic institutions.
• University of TehrancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2017 for Asia Research Center in Tehran, extending the ARC network to West Asia.
• Shandong UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2016 for Shandong Forum and Asia Research Center focusing on Northeast Asian cooperation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brookings Institution: One of the world's leading policy research organizations and a direct partner of the Chey Institute. Comparable in producing rigorous geopolitical, geoeconomic, and policy research, and the institute explicitly cites Brookings as a Core partner for joint work.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Top US think tank focused on geopolitics, security, and economic policy in the Asia-Pacific. A direct Core partner of the Chey Institute and a peer in convening policy dialogue between government, academia, and business leaders.
• Asan Institute for Policy Studies: Leading Korean think tank focused on geopolitics and policy issues around the Korean Peninsula. South Korea-based peer with overlapping mission, target audience (policymakers, scholars, business leaders), and convening-focused operating model.
• Brookings Institution and Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center: Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is a Core partner of the Chey Institute and a peer in combining science/technology policy research with international affairs—a positioning the institute explicitly emulates.
• East Asia Institute: Korean think tank focused on East Asian security, diplomacy, and policy. Listed as a Core partner of the Chey Institute and a direct peer in convening academic and policy dialogue on regional issues.
• Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA): Core partner of the Chey Institute and co-host of the UKC (US-Korea Conference), the largest Korea-US science and technology conference. Comparable in bridging the academic and scientific communities across Korea and the world.

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): Premier UK-based international affairs think tank with a much broader global footprint. Operates in the same international relations and policy space as the Chey Institute, with comparable convening power and academic depth.
• RAND Corporation: Established global policy research organization with deep expertise in geopolitics, security, and science/technology policy. Operates in adjacent policy-research territory with significantly larger scale and resources.

Regional players

• Korea Development Institute (KDI): Korea's leading economic policy think tank. Comparable as a Korean policy research institution influencing government policy, though more focused on domestic economic policy than the Chey Institute's geopolitical and innovation scope.

Emerging players

• Pacific Century Institute: Think tank focused on Asia-Pacific policy and innovation. Comparable in scope and mission to the Chey Institute though smaller and more US-anchored in its operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClqxHMQZneFQ_vXGrmW1cMA
• Xx.com/cheyinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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