Kim Heungkyu

Leadership Transition in China

Dr. Kim currently serves as a professor of political science and diplomacy at Sungshin Women’s University. He is also a policy advisor to the Ministry of Defense, Naval Forces, Ministry of Strategy & Finance, and the National Unification Advisory Council. He was previously a professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) which is affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Also, Dr. Kim worked as an advisory member to the Presidential Security Council and is a regular participant at the ROK-China Strategic Dialogue and the Korea-China Research Commission. He has written various articles including “China’s Partnership Diplomacy (2010)” and “From a Buffer Zone to a Strategic Burden: Evolving Sino-North Korea Relations during the Hu Jintao Era (2010).” He also wrote a book titled China’s Central-Local Relations and Decision-Making. Dr. Kim received a B.A. and M.A. from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan in 2002.