Victor Cha is senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at CSIS. He is also the distinguished university professor and professor of government at Georgetown University. He was appointed in 2021 by the Biden administration to serve on the Defense Policy Board in an advisory role to the secretary of defense. From 2004 to 2007, he served on the National Security Council (NSC) and was responsible for Japan, Korea, Australia/New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations. Dr. Cha was U.S. deputy head of delegation at the Six Party Talks 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, 1999) (winner of the 2000 Ohira Book Prize), The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future (Ecco, 2012) selected by Foreign Affairs as a “Best Book on the Asia-Pacific for 2012", Powerplay: Origins of the American Alliance System in Asia (Princeton, 2018), and Korea: A New History of South and North (Yale, 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. He serves on the board of the National Endowment for Democracy and is a senior fellow at the George W. Bush Institute. He is also a foreign affairs contributor for MSNBC and NBC News. Dr. Cha received his PhD, MIA and BA degree from Columbia University and a BA Honors from Oxford University.
Areas of Expertise
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Samuel Cestari
- Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
- 202.775.7317
- scestari@csis.org
In the News
Before Trump, here’s how some other countries prosecuted their ex-leaders
Victor Cha in The Washington Post — April 11, 2024
Before Trump, here’s how some other countries prosecuted their ex-leaders
Victor Cha in The Washington Post — April 11, 2024
Why South Korea must see going nuclear as a non-starter
Victor Cha and Andy Lim in South China Morning Post — February 13, 2024
(News Focus) Rising N.K. threats raise questions over U.S. policy efficacy
Victor Cha in Yonhap News Agency — January 30, 2024
Is North Korea’s Kim Jong Un planning war? Experts have conflicting views
Victor Cha in Al Jazeera — January 24, 2024
Is Kim Jong-un Really Planning an Attack This Time?
Victor Cha in New York Times — January 21, 2024
Beijing fears unpredictability of Trump-Lai combination: analyst
Bonny Lin and Victor Cha in Nikkei — January 17, 2024
After a rough run, North Korea could at last find itself 'sitting pretty' in the new year with both Russia and China courting it, Korea watcher says
Victor Cha in Business Insider — January 16, 2024
All Victor Cha Content
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Reviewing the Camp David Trilateral Summit
Event — August 29, 2023
The Camp David U.S.-Japan-Korea Trilateral Summit: An Exchange among CSIS Japan and Korea Chairs
Commentary by Victor Cha, Christopher B. Johnstone, Ellen Kim, and Nicholas Szechenyi — August 23, 2023
Press Briefing: Previewing the Camp David Trilateral Summit
Event — August 14, 2023
Why Korea Matters with Rep. Ami Bera
Event — July 27, 2023
A Week of Detention and Deterrence on the Korean Peninsula
Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — July 27, 2023
The Impossible State Live Podcast: A Week of Detention and Deterrence on the Korean Peninsula
Event — July 26, 2023
Book Launch | Korea: A New History of South & North
Event — July 24, 2023
The U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group’s Successful Launching
Commentary by Victor Cha — July 20, 2023
2023 NATO Summit: The Capital Cable #75
Event — July 13, 2023
Can the Downward Spiral in China-Korea Relations be Stopped?
Podcast Episode by Victor Cha, H. Andrew Schwartz, and Bonnie S. Glaser — July 3, 2023