My name is Zhang Huiwen (Dorothy). I’m from China and am currently a graduate student at Yonsei University GSIS, majoring in East Asian Studies. Having research interest in China and the Korean peninsula and China and the US, especially those involving North Korea’s strategic Values to China, South Korea’s direction under US-China rivalry, and the development of US-China strategic competition, I had the precious opportunity to intern at EAI this Winter, which experience is valuable and meaningful to my academic and professional career.   I was exposed to the operations of multiple think tank projects throughout this winter at EAI. My daily tasks included designing posters, banners, and pictures for margins of name tags of the participants in EAI hosting events, mostly related to the topics of anti-corruption, democracy, and Ukraine and Russian war; producing videos for the EAI Youtube channel after some seminar or other events held by EAI; translating and editing research related papers or articles; and creating content for EAI's Instagram and Facebook pages. Notably, I participated in EAI's fourth Academy academic program. During this experience, I had the opportunity to assist in conducting this event while listening to lectures by top experts in South Korea and exchanging insights with participants, which was valuable to me and, to some degree, deepened my understanding of domestic politics in South Korea.   Dating back, professional knowledge related to my research interest, especially those about North Korea's nuclear issues and US-China strategic competition, is one of many things I gained during this internship. Moreover, and most refreshingly, I also learned the actual process of preparing and conducting academic or politics-related events and the post-production of content for them. Finally, thanks to EAI, I got to know the professional and helpful staff of the think tank and the fellow interns I worked with, who are excellent and brilliant, from whom I learned some skills and exchanged insights about political issues. I am grateful to be given this opportunity to gain this precious working experience at EAI.

Hello! My name is Anggrita, a graduate student at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies. I major in international development cooperation and have a vast interest in international cooperation, democracy, and plurality. Prior to my time as a graduate student, I worked as a journalist and already built my career as a writer and communication specialist in Indonesia, working with think-tank organizations and international research agencies. My work is primarily related to analyzing and curating current issues and making strategic planning and implementation regarding communication programs of the agencies.   I have a wonderful experience while doing the winter internship at the East Asia Institute where I learned how an international think tank does its business. I was exposed to the daily operation of EAI where we translated and edited various publications; prepared and organized meetings and discussions under Asia Democracy Research Network (ADRN) project and the fourth EAI Academy.   These experiences have strengthened my professional ability and exposed me to various topics in research, including international cooperation in democracy, US-China relations, and South Korea-North Korea relations. I especially enjoyed curating content for our Global NK Twitter, where I get to leverage my experience as a journalist which gave me a keen eye for finding engaging stories and captivating angles to promote the work of EAI.   This internship also gave me a valuable opportunity to take part in academic discussions, which enhance my understanding of current issues in international relations, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Thank you, EAI! I will cherish the memories and apply the experience to my next professional journey!  

My name is Jiang Chen from China and I am a current graduate student at Yonsei University GSIS, majoring in International Trade Finance and Management. My academic interest is in the development of trade in East Asia, especially in China, Japan, and Korea. During this summer, I had the opportunity to intern at EAI for two months, and I am grateful to have the experience of interning at EAI, which was my first time learning about, and participating in the operations of a top international think tank. The experience has been very meaningful to my academic career and professional career.   Throughout my time at EAI, I was exposed to the operations of many of the think tank's projects. Daily tasks included producing YouTube video edits and managing the platform, as well as creating content for EAI's Instagram and Facebook pages. In particular, I participated in EAI's third Academy academic program. During this experience, I had the opportunity to listen to many lectures by top professors in S.Korea and exchange academic insights with them, as well as participating in the production of promotional content for the entire event, all of which was very impressive to me and deepened my understanding of the development of relations between Korea and neighboring countries.   Through this internship, I not only gained knowledge related to my field and research, especially as a video editor and researcher, but also got to know the staff of the think tank and the colleagues I interned with, who gave me a lot of help and insight (academically and in life), and it was an unforgettable experience to work with colleagues from different countries, which I will never forget! Thanks to EAI, I will never forget the experience of working next to Gyeongbokgung this summer!    

My name is Arabella Christiansen and I am a graduate student at Yonsei University majoring in International Cooperation with a concentration in International Security and Foreign Policy. As an international student, the opportunity to work at EAI and learn about the inner workings of a Korean think tank was very rewarding. I consider the experience incredibly illuminating and am grateful to have been able to participate.   During my internship program, I was able to hone new skills and further develop existing ones. Under the mentorship of Ms. Jinkyung Baek, I created various publication programs and special report covers for the Asia Democracy Research Network. More broadly for EAI I created social media content, edited EAI publications, transcribed interviews, drafted press releases, and even had the opportunity to draft welcoming remarks for an international Roundtable summit.   This internship also allowed me to attend multiple conferences hosted and attended by the top minds in international relations, where I was able to see how policy is developed, influenced, and discussed.   This experience is one that I am sure will prove invaluable to my professional development. I was able to learn a lot more about my particular field of study and the inner workings of a think tank. I took so much away from this program and am grateful for the mentorship provided by all of the EAI secretariat and Ms. Jinkyung Baek, as well as the friendships I made with my fellow interns!  

My name is Ji Youn Park, and I am currently a graduate student at Yonsei’s GSIS majoring in International Cooperation with a concentration on International Security & Foreign Policy and International Development Cooperation. The internship process was overall very rewarding, and I am grateful to all of my mentors and fellow interns who helped me gear towards better understanding and developing my areas of studies.   During my internship, my tasks consistently comprised of managing the logistics for the 12th ADRN Workshop, translating documents/papers, setting up/calling national assembly members for the Roundtable Discussion about South Korea’s support in Democratic Resilience in Asia, and researching topics and issues on the Indo-Pacific strategy. Through these day-to-day tasks, I was able to learn various topics that I hadn’t particularly known or researched (e.g. North Korea policy and issues, and the ongoing policy initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region) and therefore, was grateful for the opportunity to hear directly from experts on these ongoing issues.   I am thankful for everyone in the EAI’s secretariat, especially my mentor Ms. Jiknyung Baek and to Dr. Kim Yang-gyu for an overall fruitful internship experience! Not only did I learn a lot, but I have so much more of an appreciation towards the world of academics, in which I hope to contribute and actively be a part of in the future!

Ni Hao! My name is Mi Zeming and I am currently a Chinese student majoring in International Cooperation at Yonsei GSIS. After 3 semester’s study at Yonsei, I found myself particularly interested in North Korean issues and US-China relations, and I wanted to further my insight into my academic interests. Equipped with a brief understanding of the politics, economics and culture of East Asia, I desired to apply my theoretical knowledge that I learnt in school to a professional field through a practical way. I was impressed with what I learned of EAI’s achievements and how it has been serving as a Korean leading think-tank. In this sense, the EAI internship program was a perfect choice for me.   Serving as an intern at EAI over the past 8 weeks, I found myself achieving my goals and got greatly enhanced on this professional platform. I felt very honored that I had a chance to transcribe the webinar for the Global NK Zoom & Connect project in that I gained a lot of keen insights as well as professional views on NK issues after listening to the speech given by esteemed scholars and experts from all over the world. The most interesting and challenging task for me was Korean-English translation for the Asian Democracy Research Network project, which I regarded as a precious opportunity to upgrade my English and Korean skills. Also, as a Chinese intern, I was glad that I could use my Chinese ability to help research on Chinese experts in various fields of East Asian studies. I’ve grown so much through all these tasks and became a better me.   I feel very grateful that this winter internship experience gained me a great sense of accomplishment in making my contributions to EAI’s insightful research and daily operations. Academically, I gained professional perspectives from renowned scholars and experts, and my own comprehensive views on global issues deepened. For the past 2 months, I have received numerous invaluable suggestions and sharpened several practical skills that will be greatly beneficial to me even in the future.   My experience in EAI is undoubtedly an inspiring highlight of my graduate life. Again, I would like to say a big thank-you to all the supportive EAI staff for sharing this fantastic adventure with me. I will carry on what I have gained here to continue to do an insightful study and live a rich life.  

Hi there! My name is Vanessa Le, and I am currently studying at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies as a Korean Studies major. Coming into this position at EAI, I felt nervous about what I could contribute to the institute with substance and confidence. Looking back now, I feel like my concerns have evolved into pride and gratitude for not only the progress I have made, but also the support I have received from EAI staff.   Aside from getting to work with a warm team of other EAI interns throughout our EAI.people Instagram Takeover Project, I also aided EAI researchers in tasks such as Korean>English, English>Korean translation, transcribing webinars, editing reports, and participating in news research. I also worked extensively with Ms. Hayeon Lee in managing all sorts of data for the Journal of East Asian Studies, the academic journal run by EAI. I would also like to give a shout-out to my kind mentor, Ms. Hayeon Yoon for exposing me to the Democracy Cooperation projects and allowing me to work on summary and subtitle edits. All staff alike have been gracious in being keen on my interests and fostering my skills for improvement. I am truly thankful!   With my newfound insight gained at EAI, I feel that I have become more well-versed in various East Asian topics, such as North Korea-US-South Korean relations, democracy in Asia, international politics, and more. The transnational issues that lie before us in the contemporary global nexus of cultural powerhouses vary from human rights, to climate change, to disinformation and privacy concerns. Going forward in my studies, and even as I transition into the working field, this internship has inspired me to stay informed, alert, and open-minded about these far-reaching, dynamic problems.   Despite the bleak COVID-19 pandemic situation that we remain in, I am grateful that we interns were able to work in and out of the office using a hybrid structure. The past 2 months have flown by in a splendid blur, and I am privileged to have made valuable connections, furthered my professional working skills, and ultimately enhanced my graduate experience at the powerful organization that is the EAI!  

My name is Isaac Swenson, and I am a current graduate student at Yonsei University GSIS majoring in the Program in International Cooperation with a focus on international security and foreign policy. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at EAI and gain an understanding of the efforts that go into operating a leading think tank. Despite the challenge of Covid, my experience has been fulfilling and worthwhile.   Throughout my time at EAI, I have been able to work on a variety of projects. Day-to-day tasks included finding articles and creating editor’s notes for issue briefings, working on a style/formatting guide for EAI publications, and creating content for EAI’s Instagram and Facebook pages. I worked in particular on the Asia Democracy Research Network (ADRN) project. I also was able to work on two papers: a personal research project about the US boycott of the Beijing Olympics and the limits of its impact, and a paper for ADRN written with my mentor, Ms. Baek, titled “Democratic Innovations Outside of the West, Case Study South Korea,” which examines three exciting innovations that South Korea has utilized to improve public participation in policy-making.   Through this internship, I gained knowledge relevant to my field and studies (including a deeper understanding of East Asian relations and the democratic process), improved as a writer and researcher, and experienced office culture in Korea. I am thankful for the support of the staff during my time at EAI, in particular my mentor, Ms. Jinkyung Baek, our internship manager, Ms. Juhyun Jun, and my fellow interns, whom I enjoyed collaborating with throughout our eight weeks. I believe my experiences and lessons from this internship will be beneficial moving forward in my career. Thank you EAI!