About Walden Korea

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Education, research, and public remembrance on Jeju 4·3, collective trauma, and human rights

Walden Korea is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to research, education, and public programming on historical collective trauma, with a primary focus on the Jeju 4·3 Incident. From 1947 to 1954, mass civilian killings and state violence on Jeju Island led to the deaths of an estimated 30,000 people. The legacy of Jeju 4·3 continues to shape Korean society and the Korean diaspora, raising urgent questions about truth, accountability, memory, and reconciliation across generations.

Our work is grounded in the belief that history is not only something to be studied, but also something that must be ethically confronted. Walden Korea advances public understanding of Jeju 4·3 through scholarship, testimony, and arts-based education. We convene spaces where survivors’ and families’ voices can be heard, where young people can learn to carry memory forward with responsibility, and where international audiences can engage the historical record with clarity and care.

Walden Korea also supports broader educational initiatives related to human rights, peacebuilding, and environmental awareness, recognizing that violence, displacement, and ecological crisis are interconnected realities in the modern world. We are inspired by traditions of nonviolent resistance and civic responsibility, including the legacies associated with Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Henry David Thoreau, and we translate these values into educational and cultural exchange programs.

What We Do

Walden Korea’s initiatives include:

• Public education on Jeju 4·3
  We produce accessible educational materials and programs that present Jeju 4·3 in historical context and connect it to global discussions on state violence and human rights.

• Annual memorial and remembrance programs
  We organize commemorations that honor victims and strengthen public commitment to truth, healing, and reconciliation.

• Forums, lectures, and scholarly exchange
  We host international forums and lectures that bring together scholars, practitioners, and community leaders to expand research and public dialogue.

• Publications
  We publish research and essays through the Walden Korea International Journal and other outlets to broaden global access to reliable information and analysis.

• Youth and student programs
  We support emerging leaders through planning committees, research opportunities, and public-facing projects that build skills in research, writing, and civic education.

• Arts and culture as a language of healing
  We integrate music, literature, visual arts, and community-based creative practices as meaningful pathways for remembrance and healing.

Contact

Phone: 1-617-487-4499 (U.S.)
Email: info@waldenkorea.org
Mailing Address: P.O.box 15, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464, U.S.A
KakaoTalk ID: 43jeju