The Diplomat  |  Author

Yong Kwon

Yong Kwon

Yong Kwon is fellow and director of communications at the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI). Follow him on Twitter @ykwon88.

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

Posts by Yong Kwon
Page 3 of 4
July 21, 2014

Why MH17 Is Not Korean Airlines Flight 007

By Yong Kwon
The downing of MH17 is vastly different from the shooting down of Korean Airlines Flight 007 in 1983.
July 18, 2014

Why Korea Can’t Follow Germany’s Reunification Model

By Yong Kwon
South Korea's Dresden Doctrine is destined to fail because it is based on the German example of reunification.

July 16, 2014

South Korea’s Ruling Party Braces for Defeat

By Yong Kwon
When South Koreans go to the polls later this month, the Saenuri Party is expected to lose.

July 11, 2014

Korea and China’s Clashing Histories

By Yong Kwon
While China and South Korea denounce Japan’s history, they have their own conflicting historical narratives.

July 10, 2014

Isolating Japan By Other Means

By Yong Kwon
A China-South Korean Free Trade Agreement would boost Seoul even as it undercut Tokyo.
July 03, 2014

How South Korea Plays the ‘China’ Card

By Yong Kwon
Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to South Korea is a boost to the Park administration on multiple fronts.

June 28, 2014

A Glimmer of Hope for Inter-Korean Dialogue

By Yong Kwon
The Kaesong Committee’s recent meeting made little tangible progress but did set the stage for future meetings.
June 26, 2014

Demographic Shifts and South Korea’s Conscript Shootings

By Yong Kwon
South Korea’s population decline is the unspoken factor behind conscript shootings in the military.

June 20, 2014

4 Signs Japan-South Korea Ties Aren’t Improving

By Yong Kwon
South Korea’s next ambassador to Japan will have a difficult job.

June 19, 2014

South Korea’s Incoherent Economic Policy

By Yong Kwon
The Park administration is struggling to craft policies that can address growing inequality and slowing growth.

June 13, 2014

Can North Korea's Economy Endure China’s Slowdown?

By Yong Kwon
Pyongyang’s economy has quietly grown in recent years. China’s economic rebalance promises to reverse this trend.
June 12, 2014

In Korea, President Park Comes Under Fire

By Yong Kwon
Despite the ruling party’s recent electoral victory, President Park’s domestic critics continue to gain ground.

Page 3 of 4