Philip Yun

With his broad working experience in academia, business, nonprofits and government, Philip Yun is known for his expertise in Asia-related political and security issues. Mr. Yun currently serves as Executive Director of Ploughshares Fund, overseeing the organization's operations, financial management, fundraising and grantmaking.

Previously, Mr. Yun served as the Vice President of Resource Development at the Asia Foundation, where he led the Foundation's individual and private fundraising. Under his leadership, the organization rebuilt its private fundraising infrastructure and revitalized its individual donor base, setting new highs in contributions from individuals. He also made significant contributions to the Asia Foundation's program work in Northeast Asia, particularly Korea and Japan.

Prior to joining The Asia Foundation, Mr. Yun was a Pantech Scholar in Korean Studies at the Walter Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center, Stanford University. Mr. Yun’s research concentrated on the economic and political future of Northeast Asia. While at Stanford, he co-edited a book entitled, “North Korea: 2005 and Beyond,” published in 2006. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Yun was Vice President and Assistant to the Chairman of H&Q Asia Pacific, a U.S. private equity firm that invested in high growth areas in Asia, including technology, branded consumer products and financial services.

Appointed by President Clinton as an official at the United States Department of State in 1994, Mr. Yun served a senior advisor to Assistant Secretaries of State Winston Lord and Stanley Roth -- working on a number of regional political, economic and security issues. Between 1998 and 2001, he served as a senior member of the U.S. delegation to the Korea peace talks based in Geneva, Switzerland and participated in high-level U.S. negotiations and discussions with North Korea. A member of a working group that managed U.S. policy toward North Korea, Mr. Yun also was as a senior advisor to the first U.S. Coordinator for North Korea Policy, former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry. Mr. Yun traveled with Dr. Perry to North Korea in May 1999. In October 2000, he also traveled to Pyongyang as part of the official U.S. delegation accompanying Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, to date the highest-ranking U.S. official to go to North Korea.

Prior to government service, Mr. Yun practiced law at the firms of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro in San Francisco and Garvey Schubert & Barer in Seattle. He also served as a foreign legal consultant at the firm of Shin & Kim in Seoul, Korea. In other lives, Mr. Yun was a national staffer on the Presidential campaigns of Vice President Walter Mondale, Governor Michael Dukakis, and then Governor Bill Clinton.

Mr. Yun attended Brown University (A.B. in mathematical economics -- magna cum laude and phi beta kappa) and the Columbia University School of Law (J.D.). He was a Fulbright Scholar to Korea. Mr. Yun has written OpEds that have been appeared in the U.S. and elsewhere and has been a commentator on television and radio. He is a Senior Fellow at the Truman National Security Project, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.