
Victor Cha joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., in May 2009. He is currently senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at CSIS. He is also vice dean and D.S. Song-KF Professor of Government in the School of Foreign Service and Department of Government at Georgetown University. He was appointed in 2021 by Biden administration to serve on the Defense Policy Board in an advisory role to the secretary of defense. He formerly served on the National Security Council from 2004 to 2007, where he was responsible primarily for Japan, the Korean peninsula, Australia/New Zealand, and Pacific Island nation affairs. Dr. Cha was also the deputy head of delegation for the United States at the Six Party Talks in Beijing and received two outstanding service commendations during his tenure at the NSC. He is the author of seven books, including the award-winning Alignment Despite Antagonism: The United States-Korea-Japan Security Triangle (Stanford University Press, 1999) (winner of the 2000 Ohira Book Prize), and The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future (Harper Collins Ecco, 2012) selected by Foreign Affairs as a “Best Book on the Asia-Pacific for 2012.” His most recent book is Powerplay: Origins of the American Alliance System in Asia (Princeton University Press, 2018). His next books are Korea: A Modern History, which will be published by Yale University Press in June 2023, and The Black Box and Dark Tunnel, which will bepublished by Columbia University Press in late 2023.
Dr. Cha is a two-time Fulbright scholar, former Olin fellow at Harvard, and former Hoover, CISAC, and Koret fellow at Stanford. He currently serves on 10 editorial boards of academic journals and is coeditor of the Contemporary Asia book series at Columbia University Press. In 2022, he was elected to serve on the board for the National Endowment for Democracy, and he remains a senior fellow in human freedom (non-resident) at the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas, Texas. He is also a foreign affairs contributor for MSNBC and NBC News. Dr. Cha received his PhD in political science at Columbia University, MIA from Columbia, BA Honors in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University, and AB in economics from Columbia.
Areas of Expertise
Media Queries
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In the News
Four reasons China hates the G7, or maybe China is just jealous
Victor Cha in Fox News — May 20, 2023
The Rising Tide of Japan-South Korea Relations
Victor Cha in LAWFARE — May 12, 2023
Biden and South Korea’s Yoon announce agreement to deter North Korea, including deploying nuclear-armed submarine
Victor Cha in CNN — April 26, 2023
Victor Cha: Sending nuclear subs to South Korea was ‘important for the Biden administration to do’
Victor Cha in MSNBC — April 26, 2023
At the state dinner for South Korea, two nations toast an anniversary
Victor Cha in The Washington Post — April 26, 2023
Strong relationship with U.S. not hurt by recent leaks, South Korean president says
Victor Cha in NBC — April 25, 2023
South Korea has America in its face and China breathing down its neck
Victor Cha in The Economist — April 24, 2023
South Korea saved itself from Indo-Pacific isolation: Victor Cha
Victor Cha in Korea JoongAng Daily — April 23, 2023
All content by Victor Cha
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U.S.-ROK Security, Semiconductors, and Sensitive Technologies
Event by John Neuffer , Andrew Grotto , Victor Cha , Mark Lippert , and Sue Mi Terry — June 15, 2023
U.S.-Indo-Pacific Conference 2023
Event by Gregory B. Poling , Ambassador Ted Osius , and Victor Cha — June 14, 2023
Why Taiwan Matters
Event by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Victor Cha — June 8, 2023
Korea and U.S.-China Competition: The Capital Cable #72
Event by Robert Atkinson , Victor Cha , Mark Lippert , and Sue Mi Terry — June 1, 2023
Post-Launch Operations at Sohae Satellite Launching Station
Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. , Victor Cha , and Jennifer Jun — May 31, 2023
Launch Preparations at Sohae Satellite Launching Station
Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. , Victor Cha , and Jennifer Jun — May 30, 2023
Hand-Off: The Evolution of U.S. Policy in Asia
Event by Stephen Hadley , David Sanger , Victor Cha , Christopher B. Johnstone , Bonny Lin , Dennis Wilder , and Nicholas Szechenyi — May 23, 2023
Countering AAPI Discrimination and its Intersections with U.S. Foreign Policy
Event by Ambassador Katherine Tai , John C. Yang , Sarah Mineiro , Chadwick Eason , Victor Cha , Hadeil Ali , and Aidan Arasasingham — May 22, 2023
Republic of Korea State Visit Policy Debrief with DAS Mark Lambert: Live from Georgetown University
Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — May 19, 2023

Technology Race in Asia: The Capital Cable #71
Event by Gregory C. Allen , Victor Cha , Mark Lippert , and Sue Mi Terry — May 18, 2023