Prof.MoonChung-in

Prof. Moon Chung-in is James Laney Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Yonsei University in Seoul, Chair and Co-Convener of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN), Editor-in-Chief of Global Asia, and a member of the Open Nuclear Network (ONN) Advisory Council. He has previously held academic appointments at institutions including Duke University and UC San Diego.

Professor Moon played a central role in shaping South Korea’s Sunshine Policy—the country’s bold strategy of engagement with North Korea introduced under President Kim Dae-jung in the late 1990s. As one of the policy’s key architects and a close advisor to Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, he helped define the principles of peaceful coexistence and reconciliation that marked a new era in inter-Korean relations.

He also participated in the inter-Korean summits of 2000 and 2007, contributing to the diplomatic framework and outcome documents. From 2017 to 2021, he served as President Moon Jae-in's special adviser on national security and foreign affairs, guiding South Korea’s inter-Korean policy during a historic phase of summit diplomacy that involved North Korea, the United States, and China.

He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Maryland and has published extensively on East Asian security, U.S.–China relations, and affairs concerning the Korean Peninsula. His insights regularly appear in major international outlets such as Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. He remains a leading voice in regional and global policy circles, frequently contributing to high-level dialogues on security, peacebuilding, and inter-Korean relations.