APCSS Faculty

South Korea Needs a Drone Strategy

By |2023-08-18T12:20:33-10:00August 18th, 2023|Categories: Faculty Articles, Kim, External Publications, news|Tags: , , |

Dr. Lami Kim’s OpEd “South Korea Needs a Drone Strategy” was recently published in the National Interest. According to Kim, “As North Korea’s drone capabilities increase, the South Korean military must enhance its capability to counter North Korea’s drone threats. As drone technology evolves and drones increasingly become an essential tool of the armed forces, Seoul must also find ways to utilize drones effectively in conjunction with other weapons systems on the battlefield. South Korea’s decision to establish a drone operation command is a step in the right direction. However, as it stands, South Korea’s strategy lacks clear objectives. Deciding [...]

Alexander S. Park

By |2023-08-30T16:47:49-10:00August 4th, 2023|Tags: , , , |

Lt. Col. Alexander S. Park joined the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in July 2023, following his assignment as a Strategic Planner for the Army National Guard (ARNG) Strategic Plans and Policy Division at the National Guard Bureau. Lt. Col. Park is a Title 10 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Army Strategist (FA59) Officer of ARNG. His military career began in May 2001 with the Republic of Korea Army. Lt. Col. Park completed his conscription service from May 2001 to July 2003, during which he served as an Operations noncommissioned officer of the United Nations Command Security Battalion - Join [...]

Belinda A. Yeomans

By |2023-08-03T16:29:12-10:00August 3rd, 2023|Tags: , |

Dr. Belinda A. Yeomans joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) as a professor in February 2023. With an emphasis on Japan and Northeast Asia, her research areas include U.S. national security policy and defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific region; America’s security architecture; U.S. security alliances and partnerships; security cooperation; and defense operations. Her work emphasizes the importance of strengthening the resilience and effectiveness of America’s security relations with its regional and global allies and partners. Prior to her appointment to DKI APCSS, Dr. Yeomans worked for various academic research centers, federal government agencies, [...]

Matthew P. Leclair

By |2023-08-10T12:47:00-10:00August 2nd, 2023|Tags: , , |

Colonel Matt Leclair’s military service began as an enlisted Ranger in the 1st Ranger Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment from 1994-1999, which he believes was the foundation for not only his military career but also his adult life. He received a Green-to-Gold scholarship and attended Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia, receiving a degree in Computer Science. He later earned a Master’s degree from Central Michigan University in Administration with a focus on strategic leadership.Col. Leclair attended Infantry Officer Basic Course in 2003 and was assigned to the 1/505th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division. There he served [...]

Jennifer Matthews

By |2023-08-21T09:39:10-10:00August 2nd, 2023|Tags: , , |

Major Jennifer “Maggie” Matthews joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in June 2023 as a military fellow following her tour at the Pentagon, where she served as the Military Assistant to the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. A native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, she entered the U.S. Air Force in 2009 and reported to her first duty assignment in Misawa, Japan, where she served as the Deputy Commander for the Community Services Flight, the Officer-in-Charge for Civilian Personnel and finished her tour as the Deputy Commander for the Airman and Family [...]

Yvonne C. Yang

By |2023-09-28T09:19:31-10:00July 31st, 2023|Tags: , , , |

Cmdr. Yvonne Yang joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in June 2023 as a Military Fellow. Prior to that, she served as the Incident Management Division Chief at USCG Sector San Francisco, where she directly oversaw Marine Environmental Response efforts and was a Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator.Before that, she was stationed at the Coast Guard’s 17th District Headquarters in Juneau, Alaska, from 2016 to 2020 as the Domestic Fisheries Section Chief, managing the enforcement of U.S. and international fishery enforcement efforts, including the enforcement of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Within that time between [...]

New Policy Brief on China’s Nuclear Modernization and Northeast Asian Security

By |2023-07-31T15:56:49-10:00July 31st, 2023|Categories: Faculty Articles, Kim, External Publications, news|Tags: , , |

In a new policy brief published in the ASIA-Pacific Leadership network, DKI APCSS Prof. Lami Kim examines the implications of China’s nuclear weapons build-up on Northeast Asian security. Kim argues that the threat lies less in direct nuclear risk to the US homeland and more in the potential impact on vital US interests in the region, including the increased risk of an emboldened invasion of Taiwan and possible nuclear arms pursuits by Japan and South Korea. Kim suggests strengthening deterrence measures, enhancing transparency, and establishing viable crisis management mechanisms to mitigate these risks. Read the Policy Brief The views [...]

Professors Cho and Kim publish articles on strengthening ROK-US critical technologies

By |2023-07-26T17:05:27-10:00July 26th, 2023|Categories: Faculty Articles, Kim, External Publications, news, Cho|Tags: , , , |

In a report published by the Pacific Forum, professors Sungmin Cho and Lami Kim contribute articles exploring the evolving U.S.-South Korea alliance through technology and cybersecurity. Cho’s chapter titled “The Geopolitics of Semiconductor Cooperation among the United States, Korea, and China.” takes a deep dive into the geopolitics of semiconductor cooperation among the three countries. Kim’s chapter, titled "5G/6G, Cybersecurity and US-South Korea Cooperation,” investigates the possibilities of U.S.-South Korea collaboration on cybersecurity, focusing on the implications of 5G and 6G technologies. The overall publication emphasizes the need to adapt and fortify the U.S.-South Korea alliance amid swift advancements in [...]

Maj. Afua Boahema-Lee publishes climate change article

By |2023-07-20T08:50:09-10:00July 19th, 2023|Categories: Faculty Articles, External Publications, news|Tags: , , , |

“Comparative Study on Climate Change in Thailand, Vietnam” is the latest article by U.S. Army Maj. Afua Boahema-Lee, published in Liaison, a journal of civil-military disaster management and humanitarian relief collaborations. Boahema-Lee presents a comprehensive, comparative study on climate change's impact in the Indo-Pacific region, exploring significant security challenges particularly in Thailand and Vietnam. It investigates various climate change-induced phenomena, including floods, droughts and rising sea levels, and their negative economic and health consequences. Thailand and Vietnam have implemented policies and strategies to combat these challenges, engaging stakeholders such as nongovernmental organizations and the military. The article underscores the need [...]

Takashi Okamoto

By |2023-10-20T11:24:26-10:00July 18th, 2023|Tags: , , |

Takashi Okamoto joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in June 2023 as the College Operations Officer.  Major Takashi Okamoto is a native of Fujisawa, Japan, and he entered the Marine Corps in 2008 via Platoon Leader’s Course after becoming a United States citizen. Before joining the Marine Corps, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University and worked as an Intellectual Property Consultant. After commissioning in March 2008, Major Okamoto was designated as Logistics Officer. In this capacity, Major Okamoto deployed [...]

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