Dr. Jong Kun CHOI is Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Studies at Yonsei University. From July, 2017 to February, 2020. Professor Choi served as President Moon Jae In’s Secretary for Peace & Arms Control at the Office of National Security, the Blue House. He led South Korea’s negotiation team to conclude the Comprehensive Military Agreement with North Korea. On March 1, 2019, he was appointed as President Moon’s Secretary for Peace Planning to work on the Korean Peace Process until August 14, 2020. He coordinated South Korea’s strategies with the White House during the Trump Administration. On August 15, 2020, he was appointed as Korea’s first civilian and youngest 1st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Particularly, he successfully negotiated the release of South Korea’s tanker ship, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in January, 2021. He completed his Vice Minister tenure on May 10, 2022 when the Moon administration ended its term. He then returned to Yonsei University.
Prof CHOI is a highly published academic with articles in the Washington Quarterly, Review of International Studies, International Security, Global Asia, International Politics, and International Relations of the Asia Pacific, among others.