Please briefly introduce yourself.
Hi, I am Myoungjin Koh double majoring in JCL at UIC and Economics at College of Economics. (Class of 16). I passed the 8th exam for foreign service officer exam in 2020 when I was a sophomore. After graduation, I am now receiving about one-year training (10th program for foreign service officer candidates) in Korea National Diplomatic Academy from mid-January 2023.
What led you to declare Justice and Civil Leadership? How did it help you get where you are?
Before entering Yonsei University, I always looked forward to working in the public sector. After I took an information session about the foreign service officer exam presented by Yonsei seniors, I decided to become a diplomat. When we see the curriculum of each major in HASS division, JCL would be one of the most appropriate majors to prepare for this exam. Because I could learn more about politics and international law, I declared JCL.
Not only law and philosophy, I could take many classes related to international politics and international law (i.e. Current Issues in International Law, International Economic Order, and UN and Global Justice, etc). Even though I started to take JCL major courses after passing the exam, they might help you to build up some background knowledge and become familiar with those two areas. This would be a relative advantage for those who want to prepare the exam because international politics and international law are the subjects for the examination.
Do you have any advice for those considering Justice and Civil Leadership as their major?
Many JCL courses require active participation in discussions or debates and essays. Please do not hesitate to participate in class because the more active you participate, the more you can get. As we all know, JCL aims at interdisciplinary studies in many fields including politics, philosophy, and law. I recommend taking courses in various fields since many of them are closely intertwined with each other.
Do you have any advice for undergraduates aspiring to become a diplomat?
First, before you start to prepare for the exam in earnest, I strongly recommend you take some related classes not only in JCL, but also in Economics, IS, and PSIR in and out of UIC. You could verify yourself whether you are really interested in those areas. Second, if you are not good at Korean Comprehension skills, start early to prepare for the PSAT, the first stage of the exam. Third, use the programs that Yonsei University provides as many as you can. You could get some advice from Yonsei seniors in a student union building by making a reservation on Career Yonsei website. I hope we will meet in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs soon.
Myoungjin Koh
Trainee at the Korean National Diplomatic Academy (국립외교원)
Justice and Civil Leadership Major at Underwood International College, Class of 2016
Double major in Economics at the Yonsei University College of Commerce and Economics