Lami Kim

As the inaugural Korea Chair for Advanced Technologies, National Security and Defence at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Lami Kim examines how emerging technologies, energy security and strategic competition are reshaping the future of defence.

A recognised expert on the Korean Peninsula, nuclear proliferation and alliance politics, Kim has built her career around some of the most pressing security challenges of our time. She studies how states navigate strategic uncertainty, how emerging technologies transform deterrence, and how allies adapt to an increasingly contested world. As technological advantage becomes a critical measure of power, her work offers valuable insight into the future of national security.

Before joining the IISS, Lami Kim spent six years at the United States Department of Defense. She served as Associate Professor and Director of the Asian Studies Program at the United States Army War College and later taught at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. The Secretary of the US Army awarded her the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal for her contributions to public service.

Kim is the author of Everything but the Bomb, a forthcoming book that explores South Korea’s nuclear hedging strategy. More broadly, her research connects strategic theory with practical policy questions. She helps governments and institutions understand how emerging technologies, energy security and geopolitical competition are changing the security landscape.

Throughout her career, Lami Kim has held fellowships and research appointments at leading institutions including Harvard’s Belfer Center, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Wilson Center, the Stimson Center and Seoul National University.

Before entering academia, Kim served as a South Korean diplomat.