Meet the 2025-2026 Cohort for the 38 North Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program
The 38 North Program at the Henry L. Stimson Center is excited to welcome our 2025-2026 cohort for the 38 North Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program.
Over the next several months, this group of scholars will be mentored by senior North Korea watchers to enhance their research methodology and understanding of North Korea. They will also publish on 38 North and participate in a number of public and private events.
Meet the Cohort:
Michael Aldeman is a US Marine Corps Reserve Captain with a passion for public policy, international affairs, defense policy, and strategic assessment. He serves as an innovator for the Marine Innovation Unit, which helps the US Marine Corps leverage dual-use technologies for military application. Currently, he is a graduate student at Liberty University’s Helms School of Government, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy with a concentration in international affairs.
Miriam Ali is a public health professional and a doctoral candidate at Franklin University, with a strong academic foundation in global health and governance. Her work explores how political and structural forces shape health systems, particularly in contexts marked by vulnerability and limited access. A formative study abroad experience in South Korea including a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) sparked her enduring interest in the Korean Peninsula and the broader geopolitical dynamics influencing public health. Miriam believes that strong health systems are vital to national stability, development, and diplomacy. She advocates for a Health-in-All-Policies approach, particularly in politically complex environments. Given the challenges of working with limited or inaccessible data, she is committed to developing expertise in alternative and adaptive research methodologies.
Se Young Hwang is a former First Lieutenant in the Republic of Korea Army, where he served as an interpretation officer. During his service, he worked at the Office of National Security and the Ministry of National Defense, supporting a range of bilateral and multilateral security cooperation efforts in areas such as missile defense and space security. He received the Minister of National Defense’s Commendation in recognition of his contributions. Prior to his military service, Se Young completed his internships at the Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) and the Seoul Office of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK). He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Korea University.
Chan Mo Ku is a legislative researcher at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Washington, DC, where he analyzes US legislative trends related to the Korean Peninsula. He previously served as an interpretation officer at the ROK-US Combined Forces Command and Ground Component Command, supporting strategic planning and alliance coordination on North Korea contingency scenarios. Chan Mo holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from Johns Hopkins SAIS, where he focused on security and statecraft in Asia, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from King’s College London. His works have appeared in various publications, including The Diplomat, War on the Rocks, East Asia Forum, Breaking Defense and others.
Haruka Chunhyang Satake is a Young Leader of the Pacific Forum, specializing in US-Asia security and diplomacy. She is a Korean Japanese originally from Japan and graduated with an MA degree from the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University in Washington DC. Previously, she worked as a Policy Research Fellow of the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies, Johns Hopkins University. She writes on East Asian and US affairs with articles in The Stimson Center, The Diplomat, and The East Asia Forum.
Donghyuk ‘David’ Shin is a researcher at Sejong Institute in Seoul. He currently serves on the Policy Advisory Committee and the Unification Future Planning Committee under South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. Previously, he was a Senior Program Manager at the UniKorea Foundation and a Senior Program Associate at the International Republican Institute’s Korea office. He has also worked with Justice for North Korea, the IOM–UN Migration Agency in Azerbaijan, and the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. He earned a BA in Sociology from Baylor University, and a Master of International Studies from Sogang University.
This program is made possible through the generous support of the Henry Luce Foundation.