Yong Kwon

Yong Kwon joined KEI in September 2018 and leads the creation of the institute’s public-facing products, including its newsletter, YouTube videos, and podcast episodes. As part of this effort, he has interviewed scholars, diplomats, businesspeople, and other practitioners in the U.S.-Korea relationship. Yong also contributes regular commentary on current events and history, which have appeared in the Washington Post, the Diplomat Magazine, Cabinet Magazine, and other publications.

Yong comes to KEI from the consulting firm The Asia Group, where he supported U.S. companies operating in the South Korean market. In addition to providing briefings on the political dynamics shaping KORUS negotiations, he directly assisted clients with their market entry and expansion campaigns. These included helping a Houston-based energy company prepare for off-take discussions with three of the largest players in South Korea’s petrochemical industry. More recently, he helped a trade group research and develop a messaging campaign around the need for greater transparency and investment in Korea’s public healthcare sector.

Prior to joining The Asia Group, Yong worked as a politics and business commentator. In addition to covering South Korea’s foreign policy for Asia Times Online, Yong served as the inaugural columnist for The Diplomat Magazine’s page on the Korean Peninsula.

Yong holds a MSc in Economic History from the London School of Economics where he focused on South Korea’s financial policies during the 1970s. He holds a BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University.

You can follow him on Twitter @ykwon88