Leon Cao is a rising senior at American University, majoring in International Relations and Asian Studies. His coursework has thus far included topics such as North Korea’s economic and political history, the role of gender and women in North Korea, and security issues related to the Korean Peninsula. It was through these studies, as well as previous internship positions at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training and World Affairs Council, that he developed an interest in North Korea and the internal workings of the regime. As an intern at HRNK, Leon hopes to learn more about human rights as it relates to regime survival in North Korea and how the North Korean people have managed to cope with increasing socioeconomic pressures.