The Hope Institute is a policy studies organization based in Seoul, Korea. Its mission is to foster citizen leadership based on sustainable values and to provide an independent space for dealing with critical social issues. The Hope Institute does this primarily in four ways:

• Policy Research & Programs It serve as an independent platform for analysis of current society, consensus building, and problem solving on a wide range of current issues.
• Seminars It help participants reflect on what they think makes a good society, thereby deepening knowledge, broadening perspectives and enhancing their capacity to solve social problems.
• Public Conferences and Events They provide a creative space to share ideas and put ideas into real civic actions.

Principles

• Continue to grow the leadership initiatives globally and expand public programs.
• Provide opportunities for more horizontal integration across programs by linking public programs, leadership initiatives and policy programs. Labor, education, aging, welfare?and politics are the initial areas for cross- fertilization.
• We have?increasingly become a venue for convening nonpartisan commissions to help resolve specific issues. We?will remain open to limited opportunities for convening such commissions where it can make a difference.
• Incubate and facilitate action by individuals attending our programs.
• Expand the domestic geographic footprint with a focus on programs in central and local area.
• Our?general policy is that any seminar, leadership initiative, public forum, or policy program should support itself either through paid public participation, foundation funding, or other donations.

These current principles provide a framework for going forward; however, opportunities for innovation and experimentation that do not fit within our mission will be undertaken periodically if there is the potential for a high impact on society.