Kia Fatahi recently graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies: Global Affairs & Diplomacy and a minor in Economics. He became interested in North Korea and Japan-Korea relations after taking courses such as “Modern Japanese History” and “East Asian Politics."

During his junior and senior years at Fordham, Kia conducted independent research in Tokyo and Seoul. In Japan, he had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of issues of citizenship, identity, and ethnic education in relation to communities of Zainichi Koreans. In South Korea, he gathered information about North Korean defectors' stories of resettlement and integration into South Korean society. These projects have inspired him to research and report on human rights issues across East Asia.

As a research intern at HRNK, he hopes to enhance his knowledge of the North Korean regime and broaden his perspective on human rights issues on the Korean Peninsula. In the future, he aims to become a journalist by pursuing a dual-degree program in international affairs and journalism.