The Institute of Social Science which was founded in January 1967 was reorganized in March 1981 by incorporating three institutes in the fields of social sciences: Institute of Economics (founded March 1968), Research Institute of Public Administration (founded March 1968), and the Institute of Management Research (founded April 1968).

The purpose of the Institute is to develop theories, analyze social phenomena, and thereby contribute to the development of Korean society. The results are currently published in The Journal of Social Science annually.