The North Korea Problem
with Walter L. Keats, AB '67
Presented by the Harvard Club of Chicago with the HBS Club of Chicago
Location: Latham & Watkins, 330 N. Wabash, Suite 2800, Chicago
Date: Wednesday, January 17, 2018, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
With U.S.-DPRK (North Korea) relation in the news almost every day now, with talk of "fire and fury," "nuclear war," "military solutions," etc. What are some of the facts in all this noise?
To help answer many of these questions, Walter L. Keats, AB '67, will share his insights gained from 29 visits to North Korea since 1995 as well as his ongoing involvement in the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK) based in Washington, D.C.
Some of the topics he will discuss include a short history of how we got in this mess, why they hate us, examples of similar situations in the past that would be informative, what various organizations and governments are doing to deal with the situation, and will there be a war on the Korean peninsula? In addition, he has asked that if you have a specific question please include it with your reservation order.
Walter's interest in international relations began as a social anthropology major at Harvard where he was able to spend parts of two summers in Chiapas, Mexico doing research for his undergraduate honors thesis. One of the last Army ROTC graduates from Harvard, Walter saw service as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the U.S. and the Panama Canal Zone. His international interests were further fueled by his independent travels in West Africa, Central America, and then an 11-month trip through Asia. While on that trip he spent 2 months in the newly created Bangladesh working for the UN relief effort in Chittagong.
In 1975 he was able to visit China for the first time, while the Cultural Revolution was still in force. His second trip was in October, 1976, just after Mao died and the Gang of Four were arrested. These early experiences, plus 99 additional visits to China, several dozen visits to Japan and South Korea, and multiple visits to Southeast Asia, Mongolia, and Russia have given him insights into the workings of both budding democracies and totalitarian, nominally Communist dictatorships, several with cults of personality similar to that of the DPRK.
In addition to his membership in the National Committee on North Korea, Walter has been a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the Asia Society, the Japan Society, the Korea Society, the International Visitors Council of Chicago, The Japan America Society of Chicago, and the Asian Art Council of the Art Institute of Chicago. He was also active in the Greater Tumen Initiative of the UNDP.
Additional Benefit: David Howard, AB '77 will start the program with a performance
of the Korean folk tune "Arirang" on the violin.
EVENT DETAILS:
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 2018
TIME: 5:30 pm Registration/Networking with Wine & Cheese Reception
6:00 pm Presentation, followed by a Q & A
LOCATION: Latham & Watkins, 330 N. Wabash, Suite 2800, Chicago
COST: HCC Members and their guests: $25/person
Non-members of the HCC: $45/person
Crimson Passport and Crimson Passport & Guest Members: Free
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED, NO WALK-INS (DUE TO BUILDING SECURITY POLICY).
NOTE: You will also be required to show a photo ID in order to gain access to the building.
Reservations will be held at the door.
Where:
Latham & Watkins
330 N. Wabash Suite 2800
Chicago, IL 60611 USA
[ Get Directions ]
Look Who's Coming:
Oak Street Health
Northwestern Medicine
Uptake
Waud Capital
CANCELLATION POLICY: All cancellations must be received during normal business hours, 2 business days prior to the event or the attendee who made the reservation will be charged due to costs associated with the reservation and/or the event itself, regardless of actual participation.
Harvard Club office:
Tel: 1-847-256-1211
Email: office@harvardclubchicago.org