Yoo Ra Sung

Yoo Ra is a junior from Honolulu, Hawaii, majoring in International Relations with specializations in East & South Asia and International History & Culture. She is also a transfer student and this is her first year at Stanford! She spoke with us about her primary academic and research interests, her internship with the State Department last summer, as well as advice she has for students interested in IR.

What are your primary academic and research interests?

My primary academic interests include Korean history and diaspora studies, Mandarin language studies and Chinese culture, and Asian American studies. I am also very interested in the intersection of women’s issues and gender-based violence generated by war and conflict in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as transnational migration from Asia to Hawaii and the continental US. Before transferring to Stanford, I worked as a Research Assistant at the Brandeis Women's Studies Research Center, locating and translating primary source Korean language materials pertaining to the resistance and protest movements of Korean women in US military camptowns during the 1950s-1990s. I was also selected as a Jerome A. Schiff Undergraduate Research Fellow, and wrote a research paper about oral history and intergenerational trauma affecting Korean and Korean American women, titled “Reclaiming Lost Dreams.”

At Stanford, I am currently a Research Assistant working on examining China data privacy law through the Hoover Student Fellowship Program, and I am hoping to write an honors thesis, potentially with the Center for Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law (CDDRL).

Can you tell us a little bit about your internship experience this past summer?

This past summer, I interned at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. I was assigned to the Office of Korean Affairs, DPRK Desk, and worked with civil service and foreign service officers on a variety of research projects, engaged in writing policy summaries and reports, and participated in multilateral meetings regarding the State Department’s North Korea policy. Simultaneously, I also interned with Pacific Forum, a research think tank in Honolulu, HI, working on independent research exploring women’s rights in North Korea and sex trafficking issues. My two internships complemented each other very well, and I had an amazing experience with both organizations, despite them being virtual.

What advice would you give students interested in international relations or foreign policy?

I would tell students interested in studying IR or foreign policy to really take advantage of the opportunities Stanford’s organizations provide in terms of research, internships, or fellowships. There are truly so many jobs and experiences available to undergraduates and immersing yourself in an environment focusing on your areas of interest is the best way to figure out what you’re truly passionate about.