Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research Focus
Dr. Sohyun Zoe Lee's scholarly interests lie broadly in international relations and international political economy, with a more specific focus on the political economy of free trade agreements (FTAs), economic integration in Northeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific, and the Indo-Pacific, and South Korea’s foreign economic policy. She is particularly interested in the processes and practices of FTA negotiations, especially through examining interactions among various domestic stakeholders. Her research also explores how states—especially middle powers and rising powers—construct and project their identities in global economic governance, with a focus on their roles in shaping international norms and institutions.
Dr. Lee also works closely with policymakers, providing expertise on trade policy. She has authored a number of policy reports, funded by organizations such as the EU-ROK Policy Dialogue Support Facility and the European Commission, which have been shared with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade and other relevant EU bodies. In addition, she has worked with South Korean government agencies, including the National Research Council. Since 2022, she has served as a member of the UK’s Trade and Sustainable Development Domestic Advisory Group, appointed by the Department for International Trade, and is currently serving her second term through 2027.
Her academic work has appeared in The Pacific Review, Contemporary Politics, among others. From 2018 to 2021, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University. In 2023, she was a visiting fellow at the World Trade Institute (WTI) during her sabbatical, supported by funding from the AHRC.
Qualifications
PhD in International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science (2018)
AM in Regional Studies - East Asia, Harvard University (2012)
BA in International Studies with high distinction, Korea University (2009)
Teaching
Queen’s University Belfast
PAI2044 Democracy, Ethics and Economics (UG, Convenor), Fall 2020-2024
PAI3063 The Politics of the Global Economy (UG, Convenor), Fall 2020-2024
PAI3097 The Internship (UG, Supervisor), 2021-2023
HAP7001 Approaches to Research Design (G), Fall 2021-2024
PAI7030 International Political Economy (G, Convenor), Spring 2021/2025
PhD Supervision
Shao, Zichen (2024 - )
Matthew Foster (DPhil, 2023)
Ryan McLean (DPhil, 2022)
China Foreign Affairs University
Comparative Politics: Politics of South Korea (G), Spring 2019
International Relations of East Asia (G), Fall 2018
Invited Lectures
World Trade Law (G), Queen's University Belfast, Fall 2024
Introduction to International Political Economy (G), China Foreign Affairs University, Fall 2019
States and Markets in East Asia (UG), University of Surrey, Spring 2018
Achievements
Awards & Grants
UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) impact acceleration account, 2023
Postdoctoral Research Grant, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China, 2018-2020
Conference Grants, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2014-2017
Fieldwork Grants, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2015-2016
Ph.D. Scholarship for London School of Economics and Political Science, Kwanjeong Educational Foundation, 2013-2017
A.M. Scholarship for Harvard University, Kwanjeong Educational Foundation, 2010-2012
Visiting Program Scholarship for the University of British Columbia, Korea University, 2007-2008
Academic Scholarships with High Distinction, Korea University, 2006-2008
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Presidential agenda setting and foreign economic policy: explaining South Korea's delayed application to the CPTPP
Lee, S. Z., 08 Aug 2024, (Early online date) In: Asian Affairs. 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile37 Downloads (Pure) -
The political economy of China and the EU-China comprehensive agreement on investment
Lee, S. Z., 11 Dec 2024, The EU-China comprehensive agreement on investment: towards a binding investment liberalisation. Svetlicinii, A. & Chen, I.-J. (eds.). Springer Cham, p. 37-50 14 p. (European Yearbook of International Economic Law).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
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[글로벌 싱크탱크] 영국 왕립국제문제연구소
Translated title of the contribution :Global Think Tank: Royal Institute of International Affairs. Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Featured article
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Middle power and power asymmetry: how South Korea’s free trade agreement strategy with ASEAN changed under the New Southern Policy
Lee, S. Z., 2023, In: Contemporary Politics. 29, 3, p. 318-338 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)159 Downloads (Pure) -
Foreign Economic Policy
Lee, S. Z., 19 May 2022, The Oxford Handbook of South Korean Politics. Oxford University Press, p. 562-577Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
Activities
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Building Links between academia & the Ahmadiyya Muslim & Refugee Community
Lee, S. Z. (Member of programme committee)
Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Cultivating Connections between BAME Community Groups and QUB
Malhotra, A. (Organiser), Lee, S. Z. (Member) & Omotoyinbo, F. (Contributor)
11 Oct 2024Activity: Other activity types › Other
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International Relations (Journal)
Lee, S. Z. (Peer reviewer)
2024 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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Understanding International Trade from an IPE perspective
Lee, S. Z. (Invited speaker)
2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Nationalism and Ethnic Politics (Journal)
Lee, S. Z. (Peer reviewer)
2024Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
Press/Media
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South Korea's application to CPTPP, what caused the delay?
29/06/2022
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment