Yoonki Lee selected as Young Leader and Rising Expert in two prestigious programmes

Yoonki Lee (MPhil International Relations) has been selected as both a Young Leader by the prestigious Pacific Forum Young Leaders Program (YLP) and a Rising Expert by the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council’s Indo-Pacific Security Initiative (IPSI).

As the Pacific Forum Young Leaders Program celebrates its 21st year, he will be joining a global network that now includes over 1,000 members from 56 countries. This opportunity will allow Yoonki to participate in both junior- and senior-level international conferences and events, and to connect with a vibrant community of Pacific Forum staff, experts, and adjunct fellows. The YLP offers Young Leaders a distinctive opportunity to collaborate with fellow emerging experts, contribute to policy-oriented issue briefs, and develop actionable recommendations that strengthen stability and resilience across the Indo-Pacific region.

Furthermore, the Atlantic Council’s Indo-Pacific Security Initiative (IPSI)—in partnership with the Korea Foundation—will bring together rising experts for two closed-door roundtables under the research project titled A Next-Generation Agenda for ROK-US-Australia Security Cooperation. Rising Experts will have the opportunity to help shape a forward-looking agenda to enhance security cooperation among the Republic of Korea, the United States, and Australia. Insights from these discussions will inform an issue brief, with selected participants invited to co-author the publication and speak at a public launch event to present its analyses and recommendations.