Hidden Lessons for Developing Journals: A Case of North American Academics Publishing in South Korea

The number of scholarly journals being published in Korea has massively expanded since the late 1990s, and this expansion has been accompanied by larger numbers of international scholars from outside Korea publishing in Korean journals. Alongside this expansion in the number of Korean journals has been an increase in competition among journals, a need for journals to seek recognition from various authorities, and a desire to expand readership beyond Korea. However, little has been written about these important changes in Korean scholarly publishing. This article provides an overview of the current state of Korean scholarly publishing and then examines the experiences of international academics publishing in Korean journals. Finally, this article discusses five lessons that can productively inform those who are refashioning Korean journals in this new, highly competitive environment of global publishing.