Joonhwa Cho

Career

EDUCATION

School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London (2014-2019)
- Department of Politics and International Studies
- Ph.D. in Politics and International Studies
- Thesis: South Korea’s Foreign Policy towards Africa, examining the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, and Ethiopia in comparison with China, Japan, and North Korea: Being realist with soft-romanticism (passed with no corrections)
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London (2013-2014)
- Department of Politics and International Studies
- Master of Science (MSc) in African Politics
- Dissertation: Effects of Indigenous Factors on State-Building: The Case of Somaliland (with Merit)
- Courses included: African Political Thought, Violence, Justice and the Politics of Memory, International Politics of Africa, the Government and Politics of Africa.
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) (2005-2012)
- College of Social Sciences and College of International and Area Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Diplomacy and African Studies (Double Degree)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

Seoul National University Asia Center (2022-Present)
- Research Fellow, Asia-Africa Center
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (2021-Present)
- Adjunct Lecturer, Division of African Studies
Diverse + Asia Webzine, SNUAC (2023-Present)
- Editorial Board (Africa)
Samsung Dream Scholarship Foundation (2023-Present)
- Advisor (Africa)
Gyeonggi-do (2023-Present)
- Advisory Member of International Cooperation
KODAC (Korea Overseas Development and Consulting) (Jun 2023-Sep 2023)
- Advisor (project evaluation)
KOTRA (Jun 2023-Oct 2023)
- Consultant (EIPP project of Konza Smart City in Kenya)
Yonsei University / Wonju (2020-2022)
- Research Professor, Department of Global Public Administration
SOAS, University of London (2019-2020)
- Teaching Fellow (TA), Department of Politics and International Studies
SOAS, University of London (2016-2018)
- Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Department of Politics and International Studies
Field Experience in Africa (2015-Present)
- The DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa
Korea Army Training Centre / Nonsan (2005-2007)
- Sergeant, Department of Human Resource

Teaching & Research

TEACHING

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
- African Political Thought. 2021 Spring, 2023 Spring
- Korea-Africa Diplomatic Relations. 2021 Spring, 2023 Spring
Yonsei University
- Introduction to International Development Studies. 2021 Spring
- Understanding of Global Poverty. 2021 Fall
SOAS, University of London (Teaching Assistant)
- Politics of Development in Asia and Africa. 2020 Fall
SOAS, University of London (Graduate Teaching Assistant)
- African Political Thought. 2016 Fall, 2017 Fall

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Asia-Africa Relations
Normativity of Development
African-agency

LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS

Academic Conferences
- South Korea is interested in Africa: Focusing on decision-policymakers (The Korean Association of International Studies) (Oct, 2023)
- South Korea’s Foreign Policy towards Africa: Motivation and Practice (Korea Association of International Development Cooperation) (Jul, 2022)
- A Role of Regional Economic Communities: Focusing on ECAWAS and SADC (The Korean Association of African Studies) (Jun, 2022)
- A Just and Sustainable Development in Africa: Lessons from South Korea (Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress) (Jun, 2022)
- Why does South Korea increase in ODA towards Africa: how has it influenced in a common and different in DR Congo and Rwanda? (African Studies Association) (Nov, 2019)
- Korea’s Foreign Policy towards Africa: Re-estimation and New Direction (Africa-Asia conference) (Sep, 2018)
- What is South Korea’s motivation in supporting authoritarian regimes through development cooperation?: The case of its engagement in Rwanda (The African Studies Association UK) (Sep, 2018)
- Development cooperation as Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case of South Korean Chaebols in international development (Development Studies Association) (Jun, 2018)
- South Korea’s Foreign and Aid Policy on Africa through Saemaul Undong: The Cases of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SOAS MPhil Politics and International Studies Conference) (Jun, 2015)
Invited Lectures
- Swahili Civilisation in Africa, the 9th Busan Maritime Humanities University, Pukyong National University (Dec, 2023)
- Specificity of Africa through the cases of DRC and Rwanda, Africa Research Center, Kyunghee University (Sep, 2023)
- Analysis of ODA Country Program’ and ‘Understanding of Africa’, Gyeongnam International Development Cooperation Center (Oct, 2023)
- Understanding of Africa, Gasan Middle School, Extension college Seoul National University (Sep, 2023)
- Poverty of Africa and International Development, 2022 Pyeongchang Open University, Extension college Seoul National University (Nov, 2022)
Invited Talks
- The 6th Seoul Africa Dialogue, the Korea-Africa Foundation (Dec, 2023)
- Distinctive Characteristics of Africa through the Lens of the DRC and Rwanda, Network for Glocal Activism (Nov, 2023)
- Bench Marking Workshop, Far Eastern University (Nov, 2023)
- Seeking Korea-Indian Ocean Africa Cooperation Strategy, the 18th Jeju Forum for Peace and prosperity (Jun, 2023)
- Crossing Asian-African literary boundaries: Women, Diaspora, Identity Book Talk "The Impatient" by Djaili Amadou Amal (Sep, 2023)
- Commemorating South Africa 2023 Freedom Day SNU Africa Special Lecture: Legacy of Nelson Mandela’s Political Thought (Jun, 2023)
- A Urgent Issue Seminar: Background and Prospects of the Sudan Conflict (May, 2023)
- Model Military Museums: North Korean Art & Diplomacy in Egypt (May, 2022)
- A Workshop of Asia-Africa Center’s Opening Ceremony (Apr, 2022)

GRANTS

Basic Research Archiving of Africa's Foreign Policy towards Asia (Korea, China, Japan) (Dec, 2023)
- Seoul National University Asia Center, Korea
Short course: Evaluation for Development Programs(Scholarship) (Nov, 2017)
- London International Development Centre (LIDC), UK
Fieldwork Grant (the Santander Mobility Allowance) (2015)
- SOAS, University of London

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional Development in Higher Education Program (Aug, 2016)
- The UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), SOAS, University of London, UK
Language Course: Swahili (Jul-Aug, 2009)
- Dar es salaam University, Tanzania

Publications

Monograph (in Korean)

Han et. al (2023), Global Poverty and International Development Cooperation, Park Young Publishing

Journal Articles (in English)

Cho (2023), What is Global Saemaul Undong in Africa? - Critical Examining its Myths and the Reality in Rwanda, 15(1)
Cho (2023), Why South Korea is interested in Rwanda: Korean Perspective on Good Governance, 30(1)

Peer reviewed book reviews (in English)

Cho (2020), Researching South-South Development Cooperation: The Politics of Knowledge Production, South African Journal of International affairs, 27(3), 435-436
Cho (2020), South Korea’s Engagement with Africa, Journal of Modern African Studies, 58(4)
Cho (2019), Re-Inventing Africa’s Development: Linking Africa to the Korean Development Model, Pacific Affairs, 93(1)

Others Publications

Chag et. al (2021), The Analysis of East African Startups Ecosystem and Korean Corportation’s Participation Plan, KIEP
Cho and Dickey (2017) Making Sense of South Korea’s Presidential Election, Asia Dialogue