KRC Symposium 2025

Dr Yoon Jung Choi, The Sejong Institute is an expert in geopolitics and geoeconomics of the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on South and Southeast Asia. Her research examines regional dynamics, integrating economic and technological dimensions with security implications. She adopts a comprehensive perspective that connects economic and technological security within broader strategic considerations.

Dr Naoise McDonagh, is MBA Director and Senior Lecturer in geopolitics and international trade in the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University. He publishes original research on international trade issues, with a focus on how geopolitics impacts the international business environment.

Dr Jay Song is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Korea Research and Engagement Centre at Curtin University. A political scientist by training, her research focuses on Korean migration to Australia, Korean–Australian relations, and North Korea. She has held academic and policy roles across Australia, the UK, the US and Switzerland, and publishes widely on human rights, migration and Korean politics.

Dr Alexey D. Muraviev is Associate Professor of National Security and Strategic Studies at Curtin University. He is the founder and Director of the Strategic Flashlight forum on national security and strategy at Curtin, and  has published widely in the field of national security, strategic and defence studies. His research interests include problems of modern maritime power, contemporary defence and strategic policy, political-military developments in East Asia, Russia as a Pacific power, transnational terrorism and Australian national security.

Dr Alica Kizekova is a Lecturer in Strategic and Security Studies and International Relations at Curtin University in Western Australia. She is the Deputy Director of The Korea Research and Engagement Centre at Curtin University and her current research focuses on South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy and responses to minilateral initiatives (AUKUS, the Quad, etc.). In her previous work, she researched the EU-South Korean cooperation,  South Korea-EU democratic promotion and global governance and The Czech Republic-South Korea relations. 

Captain Alastair Cooper joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1988. A Maritime Warfare Officer, he served at sea in HMA Ships Canberra (II), Melbourne (III) and Fremantle (II), and ashore, as Commanding Officer Navy Headquarters South Australia (now HMAS Encounter), the research officer to the Chief of Navy and in Navy Capability Division. He has also worked in private sector telecommunications and as a public servant in the Department of Defence, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Attorney General’s Department. He is posted to Navy Headquarters as the Director of the Sea Power Centre – Australia.

Alastair Cooper graduated from the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra with a first class honours degree in history and is the author of several chapters, articles and online posts on Australian naval history and military strategy. Most recently, he is the co-editor of The Navy Chiefs: Australia’s Naval Leaders, 1911-1997.