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Jenna Gibson

Jenna Gibson

Jenna Gibson is a doctoral candidate in political science at the University of Chicago.

Jenna Gibson is a doctoral candidate in political science at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on media coverage of foreign policy issues, particularly related to the Korean Peninsula.

Before pursuing her doctorate, Jenna was Director of Communications at the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), where she spearheaded KEI’s online and media outreach strategies, as well as writing analyses and hosting a weekly podcast.

She previously lived for two years in Cheonan, South Korea as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. There, she taught weekly English lessons to more than 700 middle school students. In addition, she led Fulbright Korea’s annual literary magazine and served as a mentor for incoming scholars.

Jenna earned a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from Georgetown University in 2015. While at Georgetown, Jenna concentrated in global politics and security, with a particular focus on human rights and communications in East Asia. She graduated with a degree in journalism and international studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2011.

You can follow Jenna on Twitter at @jennargibson

Posts by Jenna Gibson
July 30, 2021

South Korea and the Tokyo Olympics

By Jenna Gibson
Even while Koreans cheer on their athletes, the tensions between Japan and South Korea are bringing a political tint to the Games.

July 08, 2021

South Korea’s 2022 Presidential Race Is Taking Shape

By Jenna Gibson
Candidate have begun to officially declare their ambitions. Here are the names to know.
May 27, 2021

Seoul’s Trash Crisis

By Jenna Gibson
The South Korean capital is running out of space for its waste.

May 06, 2021

Moon’s Prosecutor Pick Puts Reform Efforts Back in the Spotlight

By Jenna Gibson
Kim Oh-soo, the nominee for prosecutor general, is a strong supporter of President Moon's controversial prosecution reform plan.

April 15, 2021

How South Korean Soldiers and YouTube Catapulted a K-Pop Girl Group to Fame

By Jenna Gibson
Brave Girls hit it big after a viral video popularized a four-year-old song.

March 26, 2021

Land Speculation Scandal Grips South Korea

By Jenna Gibson
Amid soaring housing prices, allegations that officials used insider information to grab land sparked public outrage.
March 04, 2021

Why Did Thousands of K-Pop Songs Disappear From Spotify?

By Jenna Gibson
Kakao Entertainment and the streaming service were unable to reach a licensing extension -- just as Spotify entered the Korean market.

February 11, 2021

South Korea’s Largest Internet Portal Shuts Down Controversial Trending Searches Chart

By Jenna Gibson
Naver will shutter the feature, which has been subject to economic and political manipulation in the past.

December 31, 2020

More and More South Koreans Are Going Vegetarian

By Jenna Gibson
With more people interested in meat-free options, companies and even the Korean government are taking note.

December 10, 2020

South Korea’s Prosecution Reform Saga Heads Toward Final Showdown

By Jenna Gibson
Prosecutor General Yoon Suk-yeol, a political darling of conservatives, will face a hearing over his dismissal amid the Moon government’s final push for reform.

October 29, 2020

South Korea Holds out Hope for WTO Director-General Role

By Jenna Gibson
It's now a 2-person race for the next WTO head. Can Yoo Myung-hee emerge with the win?
October 08, 2020

South Korea’s Emperor of Trot Goes Viral

By Jenna Gibson
73-year-old superstar Na Hoon-a captured South Korea's attention with a rare TV concert.

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