Jong Eun Lee, MPhil, PhD

The morning will come when Christ Returns! Until then, let each of us be the moons that reflect the light of the sun, illuminating through the night until the dawn arrives.

• Teaching & Education

  BA in Political Science
  American University, School of Public Affairs
  Washington, DC
  2009
  Graduated magna cum laude with University Honors
  Honors Thesis: “The Lure of the Bully Pulpit: How Presidents Have Used Public Rhetoric to Generate Political Support.”

  MA in Political Science
  Fordham University
  New York City, NY
  2011
  Master’s Thesis: “Continuance and Breakdown of Democratic Coalitions in Chile and South Korea During the Democratization Period (1987-1997)”

  PhD in International Relations
  American University, School of International Service
  Washington, DC
  2023
  Dissertation Research: “To End the War, or to Keep Fighting: When Small Allies Oppose Great Power’s Strategy.”

• Professional Experience

  My research specialty includes U.S. foreign policy, South Korean politics and foreign policy, international alliances, and East Asian regional security. At NGU and at American University(where I taught as an adjunct faculty), I have taught a range of undergraduate and graduate courses, including Introduction to International Relations, Peace and Conflict Resolution, American Government, US Foreign Policy, Comparative Politics, East Asian Politics, and European Politics.

  Professional Career:

  From 2011-2014, I served as a South Korean Air Force Intelligence Officer. From 2014 to 2015, I taught middle school social science and math at the International Academy of Saint Petersburg in Russia. From 2020-2024, I was a research fellow at North Korea Development Institute, a South Korea-based research think tank run by North Korean defectors.

  Media Outlet Interviews:

  “Russia-North Korea Alliance Could be More Beneficial for Pyongyang.” Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies (ANKASAM). Nov.11, 2024. “South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Biggest Problem Isn’t the North.” Newsweek. Nov. 8, 2024. “North Korea Is a Surprisingly Valuable Wartime Ally to Russia and Iran.” Newsweek. Oct.29, 2024. “Online petition to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol crashes as over 800,000 flock to website.” ABC News (Australia). July 1, 2024. “Jong Eun Lee, an expert in international relations: South Korea has not yet decided to send lethal weapons to Ukraine.” Al Qahera News (Egypt). June 23, 2024. “Why doesn’t one of the largest arms exporters in the world give us lethal weapons directly? The Korean echo of the war in Ukraine.” Internews Ukraine. June 14. 2024. “What does a designer handbag say about South Korean politics”? BBC Inquiry. June 13, 2024. “Trash, anti-Kim propaganda, loudspeakers, and K-Pop: the long balloon war in the Koreas.” Expresso (Portugal). June 6, 2024. “CNA Explains: South Korea’s opposition won a landslide election. Now what?” Channel News Asia (CNA) Daily Cuts Podcast (Singapore). Apr.11, 2024 “Parties in South Korea and the reason for their relationship with the United States.” Al-Qahera News (Egypt). Apr.7, 2024. “Courting the 35 Million Independent Voters, Who Wield Mighty but Unpredictable Election Power.” Epoch Times. October 3, 2023. “Can the Korean Armistice Agreement serve as a model for peace in Ukraine?” WBUR Podcast. September 8, 2023 “How China, Russia, North Korea Can Counter Biden’s Asia Allies Defense Pact.” Newsweek. August 18, 2023. “With Putin’s Support, Kim Jong Un Could Shift Balance of Power in East Asia.” Newsweek. January 12, 2023. “ Les Corées aussi divisées sur la guerre en Ukraine.” The Liberation (France). Jan. 18, 2023. “A Coreia do Sul tem novo Presidente. Yoon Suk-yeol debutou na política há menos de um ano.” Expresso (Portugal) May 10, 2022.“CNA Explains: South Korea’s opposition won a landslide election. Now what?” Channel News Asia (CNA) Daily Cuts Podcast (Singapore News Channel). Apr.11, 2024. “Parties in South Korea and the reason for their relationship with the United States.” Al-Qahera News (Egyptian news channel). Apr.7, 2024. “Courting the 35 Million Independent Voters, Who Wield Mighty but Unpredictable Election Power.” Epoch Times. October 3, 2023. “Can the Korean Armistice Agreement serve as a model for peace in Ukraine?” WBUR Podcast. September 8, 2023 “How China, Russia, North Korea Can Counter Biden’s Asia Allies Defense Pact.” Newsweek. August 18, 2023 “ With Putin’s Support, Kim Jong Un Could Shift Balance of Power in East Asia.” Newsweek. January 12, 2023. “ Les Corées aussi divisées sur la guerre en Ukraine.” The Liberation (French newspaper). Jan. 18, 2023. “A Coreia do Sul tem novo Presidente. Yoon Suk-yeol debutou na política há menos de um ano.” Expresso (Portugal newspaper) May 10, 2022.

  Interpreter Experiences:

  In the summer of 2023, I served as an interpreter for NPR’s “All Things Considered” Podcast and the International Spy Museum’s “Spy Cast” podcast, which featured interviews with North Korean defectors.

• Selected Publications

  Policy Publications:

  The Conversation: two published articles.  The Conversation
  East Asia Forum: three published articles.  East Asia Forum
  FortyFive: one published article.  19Fourty-Five
  Responsible Statecraft: one published article.  ResponsibleStatecraft
  The National Interest: four published articles.  The National Interest
  The Diplomat: four published articles.  The Diplomat

  Newspaper Op-Eds:

  The Korea Times: Monthly columnist. Thirty-eight published articles.  The Korea Times
  Eurasia Review: Five published articles.  Eurasia Review
  The AsiaN: Two published articles.  The AsiaN

• My Story

  “Born in Korea, raised in Russia, and studied in the United States” summarizes my upbringing. My family moved from South Korea to Russia as missionaries. Growing up in Saint Petersburg, I spoke Korean at home and Russian at church and studied English at an international Christian academy. I received Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate Degrees in the United States. It was a blessing to study international relations in Washington, D.C., the center of American and international politics. Now, teaching at North Greenville University, I have three aspirations. My first aspiration is to motivate students to have an interest and passion for the events happening worldwide and study the causes and consequences of these events. My second aspiration is to encourage students to understand these international events from the lens of a Christian worldview. My third aspiration is to continue to make contributions to my field of global and East Asian security through my research and writing.