Dr. Peter K. Lee is a research fellow in the Center for Regional Studies at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. His research focuses on Indo-Pacific security and US alliances and partnerships. Previously, he was a research fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and also a Korea Foundation research fellow at the University of Melbourne. His recent publications include “An Indo-Pacific Allied Shipbuilding Enterprise” (Asan Report, December 2024) and “Should South Korea Join AUKUS Pillar 2?” (Asan Issue Brief, December 2024), “Reciprocating Trust and Reconciling Ambitions in ROK-U.S. Defense Industrial Cooperation,” (Asan Issue Brief, May 2024), and “Comparing Allied Public Confidence in U.S. Extended Nuclear Deterrence,” (Asan Issue Brief, February 2024). Dr. Lee received his Ph.D. in strategic studies from the Australian National University, and his Master of International Relations and B.A. with First Class Honours in political science from the University of Melbourne.

Ms. Esther Dunay is a research associate in the Center for Regional Studies at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Her research covers U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic with a focus on defense and industrial policy, emerging technologies, and development cooperation. She also tracks Korean and European Indo-Pacific strategies, especially towards the Pacific Islands. Ms. Dunay previously worked on government relations and strategic communications at Kakao, South Korea’s largest internet conglomerate, as well as governance policy at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Seoul Policy Centre. She holds an MSc in Media and Communications (Media and Communication Governance) and a BSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has native-level proficiency in Korean, English, and French.