Over the past winter, I had the opportunity to intern at the East Asia Institute (EAI) in Seoul, South Korea. As a graduate student at Yonsei University’s GSIS and a former undergraduate in East Asian International Studies, I have always been deeply interested in regional politics and diplomacy. This internship allowed me to gain hands-on experience in a think tank environment, reinforcing my understanding of how policy research informs diplomatic decision-making. With plans to join the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Guam, I see this experience as a meaningful stepping stone toward my future in the foreign service.   During my time at EAI, I was involved in a diverse range of projects that combined research, media production, and event coordination. One of the key projects I contributed to was the "Special Commentary Series on the Return of Trump," where I worked on structuring extensive political analyses into accessible formats. This task sharpened my ability to distill complex geopolitical discussions into concise summaries, an essential skill for both academia and policymaking.   I also had the privilege of assisting with the "Korea-Japan Normalization 60th Anniversary Conference," where leading scholars from both nations gathered to discuss the future of bilateral relations. My role involved compiling biographies and summarizing key research areas of participating experts. Engaging with such high-level discussions provided me with valuable insight into the evolving dynamics of Korea-Japan relations and the broader implications for East Asian diplomacy.   Beyond research, I was actively involved in content creation for EAI’s public outreach. I helped produce Instagram card news and contributed to video recording and editing, making complex policy discussions more accessible to a broader audience. The process of translating academic work into engaging digital content helped me understand the importance of effective communication in international relations.   One of the most personally rewarding aspects of my internship was the opportunity to conduct and present my own research. My study focused on the increasing conservatism among South Korean males in their 20s, a topic that required me to analyze various academic sources and receive constructive feedback from EAI researchers. This experience allowed me to refine my analytical skills and approach my research with greater depth and clarity.   Looking back, my time at EAI was invaluable. Not only did I gain practical experience in research and policy analysis, but I also witnessed firsthand the crucial role think tanks play in shaping international discourse. The skills and insights I have gained will undoubtedly benefit me as I step into my role at the consulate and continue my pursuit of a career in diplomacy.  

My name is Femke Rijpkema, a third-semester graduate student at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies where I am pursuing a degree in Global Affairs & Policy with a focus on Law & Organisations and Security & Foreign Policy. During my winter break, I had the opportunity to intern at the East Asia Institute (EAI) in Seoul, South Korea.   Coming from the Netherlands, I have always been eager to deepen my understanding of East Asia and its political and international dynamics. Being able to further explore this interest as an intern at one of Korea’s leading think tanks has been an incredibly valuable experience.   During these eight weeks, I was fortunate to work alongside the skilled EAI staff, contributing to key EAI projects, with tasks such as proofreading, copyediting, and formatting. Most notably, I developed a particular interest in topics related to Global NK as well as projects concerning South Korea’s current political affairs, often revisiting the documents I worked on to gain a deeper understanding out of personal interest.   Furthermore, I had the opportunity to attend and assist with a variety of conferences including the ‘Korea-Japan Normalization 60th Anniversary Conference’, the conference on ‘Korea's Democracy Future and Institutional Reform: Crisis and Alternatives’, and all seminars of the 8th edition of EAI Academy on ‘Korean Politics for Future Generations: Political Polarization, Martial Law and Impeachment, and Political Reform’. Allowing me the responsibility of capturing these conferences through photography, videography, and editing.   Outside of working hours, I had the chance to practice my Korean in a professional setting and experience Korean office culture - attempting to trade my Dutch directness for the Korean Nunchi (눈치). Moreover, I got to try new Korean foods such as Ongsimi (옹심이), a traditional Korean potato dough soup, which has now become one of my favorite winter dishes.   As my time at the East Asia Institute draws to a close, I reflect with gratitude on the enriching experiences I’ve gained. The knowledge and insights I acquired will undoubtedly shape my future endeavors. Finally, the kindness and support of the EAI staff made my internship all the more rewarding, and I am truly thankful for their warm welcome.  

My name is Louise Depuydt, originally from France, I completed my bachelor in Singapore and am currently pursuing my master’s degree at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) with a focus on International Finance and Sustainable Development. Having spent part of my childhood in East Asia, I am very interested in the dynamics of international relations within East Asia and Asia-Pacific Region.   The Summer of 2024 was marked by my internship experience at the East Asia Institute where I had the opportunity to get insights from one of the leading think tanks in South Korea on important issues like the North Korean foreign relations policy, US-China strategic competition, Korea-Japan relations and Democracy Cooperation in East Asia.   During the past two months, I was able to assist and attend events like the conference on Unification of the Korean Peninsula or the EAI Academy 7th edition where students from all over Seoul participated and had the chance to write a policy proposal related to topics taught by reputable professors during this 8-week program.   Beyond the academic and professional experience I gained, I had also the opportunity to work alongside incredible people like the EAI Staff, my summer intern peers and the various guestpeakers and like-minded student who attended EAI events.  

My name is Claudia Sung, and I am an undergraduate at Stanford University studying History and Asian-American Studies. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern with the East Asia Institute for nine weeks.   I was able to further develop my understanding of current events in East Asia through the various projects I worked on. During my time at EAI, I helped support the EAI staff with translation, copyediting, and formatting of publications, along with other logistical tasks for events. Additionally, I helped create social media content for the Global North Korea project.   Throughout my internship, I had the chance to sit in and hear firsthand from experts in East Asian foreign affairs. Assisting the EAI staff with various tasks allowed me to develop my academic and professional abilities and better understand the effort behind a think tank`s publications and events.   I greatly appreciate the opportunity to join the East Asia Institute as an intern this summer. I will carry the skills, experience, and knowledge that I gained through this internship into my future academic and professional endeavors. As my internship ends, I would like to extend special thanks to the EAI staff who supported me along the way and the other interns with whom I worked closely this summer.  

My name is Bunly EK, a third semester Graduate student at Yonsei Graduate School of International Studies with a focus on International Security & Foreign Policy and East Asia. I have a keen interest in learning about East Asia, particularly the relations and implications between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia – as the two regions shared centuries of history and culture. Specifically, I am passionate about the Korean Peninsula security issues.   That interest was amplified with my fortunate opportunity to be accepted to the 2024 Summer Internship at the East Asia Institute (EAI). For ten weeks, I had the chance and privilege to work hand-in-hand with the talented and hardworking EAI staff on EAI projects. Through this fortuity, I have developed a great interest in the Global NK Zoom & Connect, which is an English-based website that presents readers with articles from experts related to North Korea. The first thing I always did when I arrived at EAI was checking the Global NK website to read new articles, each of them was interesting and gave me thought-provoking information on the current implications of the peninsula.   Despite only ten weeks, I was able to assist EAI staff with work, not limited to research, such as copyediting, proofreading, translating, and participating in EAI important events – such as the “Unification of the Korean Peninsula: International Cooperation and Strategy for the Future” – which have imparted even further understanding on the future of the Korean Peninsula. Moreover, I was also given the opportunity to conduct research on my own with constant support and advice from Dr. Kim Yang Gyu, Ms. Park Jisoo, and Mr. Park Hansu which enabled my studies to be more in-depth before I completed it by the end of the internship.   Knowledge did not exist only during the internship hours, I was also able to learn interesting and fun, often time surprising, history about Korean dishes during the lunch hour with the EAI Staff. For instance, it would not have come to my knowledge at all, if it weren’t because of the lunch hour with the EAI staff, that Budae Jjigae (부대찌개) has an interesting history, that dates back to the Korean War in the 1950s. During that time, with food scarcity, Koreans started using surplus ingredients from the U.S. military such as spam, sausages, baked beans, and noodles, combined with Korean traditional ingredients like kimchi, gochujang, tofu, and vegetables turning scarcity into a delicious meal. Such history revealed a symbol of resilience and adaptability that I don’t usually come across when I study about the Korean peninsula.   I am grateful for the opportunity to intern at one of Korea’s famous think tanks and the chance to work closely with EAI researchers and learn from them. The skills and ideas that I have gained during this internship will be a good trajectory for my professional career in Northeast Asia. For that, I am extremely thankful to have been selected to participate in this internship.  

  My name is Sandi Khine and I am a current undergraduate student studying Science, Technology, and Society, and East Asian Studies at Stanford University. I spent nine weeks this summer interning with the East Asia Institute on-site in Seoul, and my time here has been wonderfully fulfilling.           Though I did not have a significant background in international relations before my internship, I was able to work on a variety of projects and tasks that helped me become more familiar with not only IR theory, but also the workings of a prestigious think tank. I copy-edited translated reports, attended and summarized webinars for the Asian Democratic Research Network, wrote up reports about global economic forecasts, and supported logistics for the summer EAI Academy program, among many other tasks. Through the EAI Academy program, I heard from experts in politics, economics, and global diplomacy, increasing my academic understanding of IR from a Korean perspective.           I even had the opportunity to engage with the Korean and American college students of the Korean American Student Conference through a discussion session hosted by EAI, and exchanged dialogue with peers on critical topics. My personal research interests were also supported, and I constructed and carried out a small personal research project analyzing transnational economies of labor and migrant labor in South Korea. Day to day, I learned about the complexities of working at a think tank, furthered my own skills, and gained increased understanding of the current, most pressing issues in global politics.           I’m extremely grateful to all of the staff at EAI for this experience and opportunity, to grow personally and professionally in ways that I could not get if I had done a domestic internship in the U.S. The staff have been kind, open, and welcoming, even with my limited Korean language skills, and I am happy to have made friends with the other interns throughout the summer as we shared laughs and created precious memories. I am especially thankful to my direct supervisor, Ms. Won, for her support and grace throughout my internship program. It is because of the people of EAI that I have had such a special summer that I will hold on to as I move forward in my academic and professional career.           I am confident that my experience at EAI will serve me well through the rest of my time at Stanford and beyond, and I look forward to a future that EAI has prepared me well for.  

  My name is Sarah Bowser from the USA, and I am a 4th semester graduate student at Yonsei’s Graduate School of International Studies with a focus on Korean Studies. My academic interests include Korea-US-Japan relations and North Korean studies, including issues surrounding nuclear proliferation. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at EAI from June to August, during which time I not only participated in many events but expanded my research skills and interests, which will greatly benefit my academic and professional career.           Throughout the two months, although a short period of time, I was able to assist EAI workers with work, including but not limited to research, copyediting, and proofreading, along with participating in the 5th EAI Academy session, in which various professors from top ranking universities came to EAI to give lectures on the relationship between Korea and various world players, such as the United States, Japan, and China. Through these various tasks and events, I was able to not only interact with many professionals in the international relations field, but also take newly acquired research skills and apply them to my own research project, which I completed by the end of the internship.           I am grateful for the chance to not only been able to put my studies into practice and gain professional experience in the international relations field, but also to experience working at a think tank for the first time, which allowed me to closely work with the researchers working at EAI and to learn from them. The skills that I have gained during this internship will benefit me throughout my professional career in any field, and for that I am very grateful to have been chosen and participated in this internship.       

My name is Christopher Welsh and before starting my internship at the East Asia Institute, I had just completed my coursework at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, majoring in Global Affairs and Policy. My coursework was related to security and foreign policy, specifically focusing on East Asian security issues. I was lucky enough to be accepted to the Winter 2023 internship at the East Asia Institute. For two months I had the privilege to work with EAI staff, as well as a group of talented and hard-working interns on EAI projects.   Throughout my time at EAI, I worked with Dr. Kim on EAI’s “Global NK Zoom & Connect” project, an English-based website that archives articles related to North Korea from around the world, as well as publishes its own articles on North Korea-related issues. This opportunity to work in North Korean affairs greatly excited me because it perfectly matched my previous coursework and academic interest. During my time working on GlobalNK Zoom & Connect, I contributed to published articles by fact-checking articles, editing publications, and sourcing articles directly from DPRK’s official media outlets. I also had the privilege to work on other programs such as EAI’s “Anti-Corruption Summit” and “EAI Academy”. This “hands-on” experience that EAI has enabled me to gain has deepened my own knowledge of affairs in East Asia while also gaining practical experience in the very things that I had studied for years.   Outside of academic work that I performed for EAI, the Winter 2023 intern team also managed EAI’s unofficial Instagram account, performed general office tasks, and allowed me to network and connect with not only established academics in my field but also young aspiring professionals such as my fellow interns as well as those that attended EAI’s Academy. Although at times the workload seemed like a lot, the experience I gained through this internship was well worth it. The EAI internship represents my first step towards a career in policy and international relations and I deeply believe that this experience, although short, provided valuable experience in the actual day-to-day operations of a think tank.