Son, Daekwon

International Relations

Ph.D. in International Relations, Peking University

Courses taught:

Introduction to International Relations

Theories of International Relations

Chinese Politics and Foreign Policy

East Asian International Relations

Tel: +82-2-705-8771

E-mail: sondaekwon@sogang.ac.kr

Son Daekwon is an associate professor at Graduate School of International Studies, Sogang University, as well as a political scientist specializing international politics. He obtained a Ph.D. in International Relations at Peking University and B.A. in Sociology and International Studies at Korea University. Before joining GSIS of Sogang University in 2021, he worked as an associate professor at East China Normal University. He was also a Korea Foundation Fellow at Pacific Forum CSIS and KIM Jun-Yop Fellow at Institute of Social Sciences. His academic interests include domestic-foreign policy nexus, Cold War history, Sino–U.S. relations, the Sino-DPRK relations, Asia-Pacific regional security, etc. With extensive research experiences in South Korea, China, Japan, and the U.S., He has published multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and op-eds in Korean, English, and Chinese.

- Ph.D. (International Relations) Peking University
- M.A. (International Relations) Peking University
- B.A. (Sociology & International Studies) Korea University

- Theories of International Relations

- Introduction to International Relations

- East Asian International Relations

- Chinese Politics and Foreign Policy

“China’s Strategic Opportunity Unseen in a Century: Beijing’s Long Game in the Era of ‘America First’,” International Affairs, Online First.

“US Allies’ Foreign Policy Alignment in an Era of Great Power Competition: An Analysis of Domestic Politics,” Contemporary Security Policy, with Kyung-suk Lee and Hankyeul Yang, Online First.

“The Impacts of U.S. Foreign Policy on Taiwanese Public Support for Independence: Evidence from Experimental Analysis,” with Kyung-suk Lee, Journal of Chinese Political Science, Online First.

“김일성의 세 차례 한국전쟁 획책과 중국의 동맹 제지: 지정학적 구도의 변화를 중심으로”, <한국과 국제정치>, Vol. 41, No. 1 (2025), pp. 281-321.

“Driving a Wedge Between China and South Korea: North Korea’s Rangoon Bombing Revisited,” China and Asia, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2024), pp. 83-110.

“We are Brothers, but Not Allies: Sino-DPRK Alliance Revisited,” Pacific Affairs, Vol. 97, No. 1 (March 2024), pp. 5-28, with Yongjon Han

“When Beijing Chose Seoul over Pyongyang: China–South Korea Diplomatic Normalization Revisited,” China Quarterly, Vol. 256 (December 2023), pp. 960-976.

“On the Resilience of the Sino-DPRK Relations,” Sungkyun China Insight, No. 7 (January 2023), pp. 1-7.

“Bringing North Korea to the Negotiating Table: Unstable Foundations of Kim Jong-un’s North Korean Regime,” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, Vol. 21, No. 2 (May 2022), pp. 295-325.

“Sino-DPRK Geopolitical Curse behind Kim Jong-un’s Olive Branch,” Pacific Focus, Vol. 35, No. 1 (April 2020), pp. 29-58, with Jang Youngduk.

“Domestic Instability as a Key Factor Shaping China's Decision to Enter the Korean War,” The China Journal, Vol. 83 (January 2020), pp. 34-57.

“Evolution of North Korea’s Peace Treaty Proposals and Sino-DPRK Relations behind the Scene,” Korea Observer, Vol. 50, No. 4 (Winter 2019), pp. 505-533.

“Flawed Assumption in Pro-Nuclear Arguments and South Korea’s Strategic Choice,” Asian Perspective, Vol. 43, No. 1 (Winter 2019), pp. 123-144.

“Who Restrains Who?:Sino-DPRK Strategic Interaction During the Second Nuclear Crisis,” The Korean Journal of Defense Analysis, Vol. 130, No. 2 (June 2018), pp. 153-168, with Song Wenzhi.