The Korean Association of Area Studies allows scholars and academic research institutes conducting research on communism and communist regions to exchange information with each other, hold academic conferences on areas of common interest, and provide specialized expertise through data collection in related areas and academic exchanges with relevant organizations at home and abroad. It was first launched as the ‘Korea Communist Research Council’ on June 1, 1979, with the purpose of conducting comprehensive communist research.

Since its launch, the council has created a domestic research atmosphere for communist countries and accumulated numerous achievements by holding academic conferences. The name was changed to 'Korea Socialist System Research Council' in August of 1990, to 'Korean Area Studies Council' in 1992, to 'Korean World Area Studies Council' in 1995, and to 'Korean Association of Area Studies’ in 2000.

For over 35 years since its launch, the Association has been conducting research on communist countries in Korea as well as research on other regions around the world. Currently, the association has over 700 regular members working at universities and research institutes, as well as members from 15 institutions, including Seoul National University's Social Science Research Institute, Sogang University's East Asian Research Institute, and Korea University's Asian Studies Research Institute. More than 1,000 papers were presented at the society's academic conferences, and more than 20 international academic conferences were held.