Stacey Cho is currently an undergraduate student studying Foreign Affairs and Media Studies at the University of Virginia.

As a first-generation Korean American, she is deeply drawn to HRNK’s mission to expose and address human rights violations in North Korea, a cause that holds both personal and moral significance for her. Her academic work has shaped a strong interest in human rights and transnational justice, particularly in understanding how political systems determine conditions of freedom and repression. At UVA, the story of Otto Warmbier further underscored for her the profound human cost of authoritarian governance and the urgency of HRNK’s work.

Beyond the classroom, Stacey has engaged in research with international policy and media, reinforcing her belief in the power of rigorous research and strategic communications to amplify marginalized voices and drive accountability. She hopes to contribute this commitment to HRNK’s efforts to document, analyze, and advocate for the human rights of North Koreans.