There has been growing need to develop the new direction of social science studies in Korea as its society entering the new era of democratization, pluralization, localization, globalization, and soon possible reunification. In responding to such a need, the Center for Social Sciences at the Seoul National University was established on March 1, 1997. The primary goals of the Center are 1) to promote research in each discipline of social sciences and, 2) to facilitate interdisciplinary studies across them. The Center, in its current form, was founded by merging the institute of Social Sciences, an affiliated with the College of the University. Currently, the Center has five institutes: Institute of Korean Political Studies, Institute of World Economy, Institute for Cross-Cultural Studies, Institute of Social Welfare, and Institute of Chinese Studies. Before transforming to the Center for Social Sciences, the Institute of Social Sciences has made a significant contribution to building the foundation of social science in Korea for 20 years since its inception. It has facilitated interactions and collaborations among social science researchers internationally and domestically, trained researchers and scholars, published result of original research and other scholarly work, and made necessary data and materials available for social science researchers. The institute published the Social Science and Policy Research (renamed as Korea Social Science Review since 1997 and continues today), a social science periodical, and two research series dealing with Korean and international social problems (Korean Studies and International Studies Series). The Institute of Korean Political Studies was established in 1986 to promote historical, comparative, and theoretical studies of Korean politics. The institute`s work include performing original research on Korean politics, organizing academic symposiums and conferences, facilitating collaborations with other domestic and international academic organizations, publishing research papers, books, and journals (Korean political science Review). The Institute of World Economy, a sub_unit of the Center, was established in 1990 as a research organization within the Social Science College at SNU. The institute carries out theoretical and applied studies of the Korean and world economy. The Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies started as an official affiliate of the Social Science College at SNU in 2990 to carry out comparative and anthropologic studies on Korea and world cultures. The institute has annually published Cross-Cultual Studies, an compilation of their research works and other studies in the field of anthropology. The Institute of Social Welfare, established in 1990, carries out research and analysis of social welfare programs in Korea and other countries in the world. The institute has barked on the important task of gathering, organizing and disseminating important information and materials on social welfare issues. The Institute of Chinese Studies was established as a sub-unit of the Center for Social Sciences in July 2004 to promote interdisciplinary studies of China. The establishment of the Center for Social Sciences provides an opportunity to systemize and synthesize various research activities carried out by five institutes. In doing so, the primary goal of the Center is to widen the scope and deepen the content of social science research and studies in Korea. The Center provides mechanisms fot researchers and students of social science to exchange and share information and ideas in the fields of study represented by the involved institutes. The Center also carries out long-term and in-depth research projects through collaborations by two or more of its institutes. The Center provides data in the areas of social science through its information system that collect key information on social science matters in Korea. Currently, the Center is also pursuing various projects to further enhance the level of social system of social science studies, such as building a social science research data base system, providing library service for scholars and students of social science, publishing journals and research results at regular basis, building a network of research centers, and facilitating international collaboration in social science studies.