The International Council on Korean Studies has been shaped by distinguished scholars, policymakers, and professionals dedicated to advancing Korean studies. This section highlights the individuals—past and present—whose leadership and expertise have guided ICKS’s mission and impact.
President, ICKS
Greg Scarlatoiu has served as Executive Director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) for over a decade, overseeing more than 50 publications. A visiting professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Yonsei University, he has also contributed as a Radio Free Asia columnist for 21 years. He holds graduate degrees from the Fletcher School and Seoul National University and completed the MIT XXI Seminar. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in Romania, he is fluent in Korean, French, and Romanian.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS
George A. Hutchinson, Ph.D., is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who most recently served as Operational Energy Prototyping Lead in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy Resilience & Optimization. He previously advised on U.S. Air Force basing in Korea and worked at the Pentagon on wargaming and energy
policy. He is the author of North Korea’s Nuclear Decisions and Strategies: Sovereignty, Legitimacy, and the Bomb and Army of the Indoctrinated: The Suryong, the Soldier, and Information in the KPA.
Treasurer, ICKS
Dr. Won Eog Kim serves as Dean of the School of Business and Technology at Washington University of Virginia, where he has taught for over 18 years. He holds a DBA from California Southern University, a Master of International Management from the University of Denver, and a BA in International Trade from Kyungpook National University. His early career included roles at Daewoo and with a vendor supporting U.S. military commissaries. His experience blends international business, applied research, and a deep commitment to student development.
Chairman of the Board, ICKS
Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr., Ph.D., served as President of ICKS from 2013-2024. He is a professor of political science at Angelo State University and a retired U.S. Marine. Formerly a senior Northeast Asia analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Joint Staff (J2) at the Pentagon, he is a leading expert on North Korean security issues. Dr. Bechtol has authored six books, most recently Rogue Allies: The Strategic Partnership between Iran and North Korea and is a frequent media contributor for outlets including BBC, CNN, FOX News, and NPR.
Founding Member & Senior Advisor, ICKS
Hugo W. Kim, Ph.D., served as Editor-in- Chief of the International Journal of Korean Studies from 2009 to 2013. A former professor at Korea National Defense University and a graduate of the Korean Military Academy, he authored Korean Americans and Inter Korean Relations and a seven-volume History of Politics and Economy. Dr. Kim earned his
Ph.D. in economics from the Catholic University of America and taught at Southeastern University (1989–1991) and Washington University of Virginia (2008–2018) following a distinguished career in academia and the military.
Chairman
Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr., Ph.D. is a professor of political science at Angelo State University, retired U.S. Marine, and former senior analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency and Joint Staff (J2). A leading expert on North Korea, he is the author of Rogue Allies and five other books.
Member
Gordon G. Chang is a columnist and author of Plan Red and the Coming Collapse of China. A frequent commentator on major news networks, he has briefed U.S. government agencies and served two terms as a Cornell trustee. He practiced law in China and Hong Kong for nearly 20 years.
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2016-2017
Jai Poong Ryu, Ph.D., taught sociology for over four decades, including 36 years at Loyola University Maryland. A Fulbright scholar, author, and civic leader, he has published widely on race and social change. Since retiring, he has led the One Korea Foundation to promote reunification education.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 2014-2015
David S. Maxwell is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel and expert in Northeast Asian security and unconventional warfare. He taught national security strategy at the National War College and served as Associate Director of Georgetown’s Security Studies Program. He continues to contribute vigorously through senior roles in strategy, policy, and nonprofit leadership.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS
George A. Hutchinson, Ph.D., is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who most recently served as Operational Energy Prototyping Lead in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy Resilience & Optimization. He previously advised on U.S. Air Force basing in Korea and worked at the Pentagon on wargaming and energy
policy. He is the author of North Korea’s Nuclear Decisions and Strategies: Sovereignty, Legitimacy, and the Bomb and Army of the Indoctrinated: The Suryong, the Soldier, and Information in the KPA.
Vice Chairman
Dr. InHwan Oh has nearly 40 years of leadership experience in mission, process, and quality engineering for firms supporting federal agencies such as NASA, NOAA, and DHS. His doctoral research focused on organizational leadership and Korean American integration. He also leads the SNU Alumni Group for Korean Studies in the U.S.
Member
Hugo W. Kim, Ph.D. is a founding member and senior advisor of ICKS, former editor of the International Journal of Korean Studies, and professor at Korea National Defense University. A Korean Military Academy graduate, he authored several works on inter-Korean relations and holds a Ph.D. in economics from CUA.
Member
Troy Stangarone is a non-resident fellow at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology and a columnist for The Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo. He specializes in Korean Peninsula economic and foreign policy and previously held senior roles at KEI, the Wilson Center, and the Korea-America Student Conference.
President, ICKS
Greg Scarlatoiu has served as Executive Director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) for over a decade, overseeing more than 50 publications. A visiting professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Yonsei University, he has also contributed as a Radio Free Asia columnist for 21 years. He holds graduate degrees from the Fletcher School and Seoul National University and completed the MIT XXI Seminar. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in Romania, he is fluent in Korean, French, and Romanian.
The International Council on Korean Studies is grateful for the distinguished individuals who have served in leadership roles over the years. Their dedication, vision, and scholarship have shaped the direction of ICKS and strengthened its mission to advance understanding of Korean affairs. We proudly recognize their lasting contributions to the organization and the broader academic community.
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2016-2017
Jai Poong Ryu, Ph.D., taught sociology for over four decades, including 36 years at Loyola University Maryland. A Fulbright scholar, author, and civic leader, he has published widely on race and social change. Since retiring, he has led the One Korea Foundation to promote reunification education.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 2015-2016
Dr. Tara O is a former ICKS board member and noted expert on South Korea’s political and economic system, North Korean human rights, and U.S. alliance dynamics in Asia. An author and U.S. Air Force veteran, her work also addresses Korean unification and the integration of North Korean defectors.
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2014-2015
President, ICKS, 2008-2012
Dr. Soon Paik is professor of economics at Washington University of Virginia and a former senior economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. He has published extensively, led numerous economics seminars, and appeared frequently as a columnist. He also served as president of the Korean Economic Society in Washington, D.C., and other civic organizations.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 2016-2023
James F. Durand is a former ICKS board member and independent historian of modern Korean military history. A retired Marine intelligence officer, he graduated from the ROK Naval War College and Japan’s National Institute for Defense Studies. He translated and edited the memoirs of ROK Marine Corps founder Shin Hyun-joon.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 2014-2015
David S. Maxwell is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel and expert in Northeast Asian security and unconventional warfare. He taught national security strategy at the National War College and served as Associate Director of Georgetown’s Security Studies Program. He continues to contribute vigorously through senior roles in strategy, policy, and nonprofit leadership.
President, ICKS, 2001-2004
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2005-2008
Dr. Hang Yul Rhee is a longtime scholar specializing in Korean unification and political economy. He has held leadership roles in several Korean and Korean- American academic associations. Prior to entering academia, he worked at a New York law firm and has published extensively in academic journals and Korean-language media in the U.S.
We honor the memory of those whose leadership and service helped lay the foundation for the International Council on Korean Studies. Their contributions to the study of Korea and their commitment to our mission continue to inspire us. Though they are no longer with us, their legacies remain an enduring part of our history and values.
Founding President, ICKS, 1996-2000
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 1997-1999
Ilpyong J. Kim, Ph.D., was a distinguished scholar of East Asian politics, a U.S. Bronze Star recipient, and longtime professor at the University of Connecticut. He authored numerous books and nurtured generations of students, colleagues, and family across continents.
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2001-2002
Dr. Ung Soo Kim was a highly decorated South Korean Army general who went into exile in the U.S. after opposing a military coup in 1961. He later became a professor of economics at The Catholic University of America, where he taught until his retirement in 1993.policy. He is the author of North Korea’s Nuclear Decisions and Strategies: Sovereignty, Legitimacy, and the Bomb and Army of the Indoctrinated: The Suryong, the Soldier, and Information in the KPA.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 2001-2004
President, ICKS, 2005-2008
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2009-2013
Dr. Hong Nack Kim was a distinguished scholar of East Asian international relations and longtime professor at West Virginia University. A Fulbright fellow and prolific author, he contributed over 100 scholarly articles and co-edited multiple volumes on Korean politics, reunification, and regional diplomacy.
Founding Chairman, ICKS, 1996-2000
Dr. Woong B. Lee graduated from Yonsei University’s College of Medicine and served as a naval surgeon in Korea before immigrating to the U.S. He became the first nephrologist in Norwich, Connecticut, establishing its first dialysis unit and practicing until his retirement in 2003.
Chairman of the Board, ICKS, 2003-2004
Dr. Youn Suk Kim was a respected economist, professor, and scholar of international trade and U.S.–Korea relations. He taught at Kean University for over three decades, authored multiple books, and contributed widely to economic journals and academic leadership in the Korean American scholarly community.
Editor-in-Chief, IJKS, 2005-2008
Dr. Young Whan Kihl was a leading scholar of Korean politics and Asian security, known for his influential work on North–South Korean relations. A prolific author and editor, he taught political science at Iowa State University and contributed widely to Korean and comparative political studies.
