Yangmo Ku

Dr. Yangmo Ku is a professor of political science and the acting director of the Peace and War Center (PAWC) at Norwich University. He received his bachelor's degree in German language and literature from Sogang University and earned his master's degree in international affairs and doctorate in political science from George Washington University. 

Prior to joining Norwich University, he taught in the School of International Service at American University. Ku’s research focuses on North and South Korean politics, East Asian security, U.S. foreign policy, and the politics of memory and reconciliation in East Asia and Europe. His new book, “Nuclear North Korea: Strategy and Practice From the Korean War to the New Cold War,” was published in April 2026. He is also the coauthor of “Politics in North and South Korea: Political Development, Economy, and Foreign Relations” (2018). 

He serves as the founding editor of the peer-reviewed “Journal of Peace and War Studies” and co-editor of PAWC’s forum, “Voices on Peace and War.” His research has appeared in numerous academic journals, including the “Journal of East Asian Studies,” “Asian Perspective,” “Pacific Focus,” “Korean Journal of International Studies,” “Asian Journal of Peacebuilding,” and the “Yale Journal of International Affairs.” He also delivered intensive lectures on North Korean nuclear issues and Korean Peninsula politics to U.S. federal government officials in Washington, DC, and Hawaii.

Ph.D. Political Science, George Washington University
M.A. International Affairs, George Washington University
B.A. German Language and Literature, Sogang University

PO 301 U.S. Security Policy
PO 348 Asian Politics
PO 410 U.S., China, and Russia

Nuclear North Korea: Strategy and Practice from the Korean War to the New Cold War (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2026)

“Coping with a Nuclear-Armed North Korea: Strategic Options and Policy Dilemmas,” in In Search of Peace in Korea and Northeast Asia: Nuclear Issue and Peace Regime, eds. Tae-Hwan Kwak and Seung-Ho Joo (Routledge, 2026): 62-94.

“North Korea’s Nuclear Adventurism and Security Challenges on the Korean Peninsula Today,” in Security Challenges in the Contemporary Indo-Pacific, ed. Zhiqun Zhu (World Scientific, 2025): 203-225.