On December 3, the Asia Policy Program and the Korean Economic Institute, in collaboration with the Center for East Asian Studies at UT Austin, the Clements Center for National Security, and the Strauss Center for International Law, will host a conversation with Ambassador Kang, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States, followed by an expert panel discussion on U.S.-South Korean relations focused on exploring how the United States and South Korea can expand cooperation in commercial and defense shipbuilding, maritime security, and industrial capacity. The academic panel will consist of Director-General Sung-hwan Lee, Dr. Hyo-young Lee, Michael Roberts, Jae-do Choi, and Dr. Robert Oppenheim.

Biographies

Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha is the South Korean Ambassador to the United States. She previously served as South Korea’s first female Foreign Minister from 2017 to 2021, leading Seoul’s diplomacy during a period of intensified engagement on the Korean Peninsula and expanding global partnerships. Earlier in her career, Ambassador Kang became the first Korean woman to hold a senior United Nations leadership role, advancing international humanitarian, human rights, and development policy. Ambassador Kang has been a key actor in inter-Korean diplomacy as well. She served most recently as President and CEO of the Asia Society before becoming Korea’s 29th Ambassador to the United States in 2025.

Sung-hwan Lee is Director-General for Strategy and Policy Planning at the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is responsible for coordinating Korea’s foreign policy and shaping medium- and long-term diplomatic strategy. He also oversees the implementation of Korea’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. Since 2022, he has served as a senior advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on issues spanning the Korean Peninsula, North America, Northeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and multilateral diplomacy. A career diplomat with deep experience in China, he has held postings in Beijing and Xi’an and led the Northeast Asia Division in Seoul. His earlier roles include serving twice as Assistant Secretary to the President for Foreign Affairs and working as an official English interpreter for two Korean Presidents.

Hyo-young Lee is an Associate Professor in the International Trade and Economic Security Research Division at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), where she examines global trade policy, supply-chain security, and the economic dimensions of national strategy. Before joining KNDA in 2017, she served as a Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), specializing in multilateral trade issues.

Michael Roberts is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute focusing on maritime strategy, naval modernization, and the global shipbuilding industry. His research examines how allied cooperation can strengthen industrial capacity, supply-chain resilience, and national security in the Indo-Pacific.

Jae-do Choi is an economist at the University of Texas at Austin specializing in industrial organization, competition policy, and firm behavior. His research examines how global markets, supply chains, and technological shifts impact advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.

Robert Oppenheim is a Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. His work focuses on East Asian regional studies, political culture, and international affairs, with extensive scholarship on Korea’s political and strategic evolution.

The Asia Policy Program is a joint effort of the Clements Center for National Security and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law. 

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