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
Stronger U.S.-Japan-Korea Cooperation is the Key to Deterring North Korean Aggression
Victor Cha in TOKYO Web — July 20, 2023
U.S. soldier detained in North Korea after crossing border
Victor Cha in NBC — July 19, 2023
North Korea Shows No Interest in Engaging in Talks About its Nuclear Program, Think Tank Says
Victor Cha in CNBC — July 18, 2023
US soldier facing disciplinary action flees into North Korea
Victor Cha in Reuters — July 18, 2023
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
At the state dinner for South Korea, two nations toast an anniversary
Victor Cha in The Washington Post — April 26, 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
All Victor Cha Content
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Why Korea Matters with Rep. Ami Bera
Event by Ami Bera , Victor Cha , Mark Lippert , and Sue Mi Terry — July 27, 2023
The Impossible State Live Podcast: A Week of Detention and Deterrence on the Korean Peninsula
Event by Victor Cha and Andrew Yeo — July 26, 2023
Book Launch | Korea: A New History of South & North
Event by Victor Cha , Ramon Pacheco Pardo , and Christine J Kim — 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 by Victor Cha , Mark Lippert , Sue Mi Terry , and Max Bergmann — 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
The Impossible State Live Podcast: Can the Downward Spiral in China-Korea Relations be Stopped?
Event by H. Andrew Schwartz , Victor Cha , and Bonnie Glaser — June 30, 2023
What is Next for North Korea?
Event by Markus Garlauskas , Victor Cha , Mark Lippert , and Sue Mi Terry — June 29, 2023
Promoting Semiconductor “Friendshoring”: The Role of Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners in Supply Chain Resilience
Event by Gregory C. Allen , Emily Benson , Victor Cha , Christopher B. Johnstone , and Mark Lippert — June 27, 2023
Punggye-ri Update: No Indications of Test Preparations
Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. , Victor Cha , and Jennifer Jun — June 27, 2023