Jennifer Lee is a partner at The Asia Group, where she leads the firm’s Korea Practice across Washington and Seoul and helps drives the firm’s strategic growth across the Indo-Pacific. A trained economist and Asia specialist, Jennifer advises Fortune 500 global companies, leading Korean conglomerates, and global investors on geopolitical risk, regulatory strategy, and cross-border industrial competition in one of the world’s most strategically consequential regions.
Jennifer’s work sits at the intersection of policy, politics, and industrial competitiveness, supporting companies navigate the commercial implications of shifting geopolitical, regulatory, and economic security dynamics. Her client work spans technology, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, defense, energy, and other critical and emerging sectors. Working closely with The Asia Group’s regional and functional practices, Jennifer develops integrated, pan-Asia strategies that align business priorities with evolving political and economic realities in Washington, Seoul, and across the Indo-Pacific.
Prior to joining The Asia Group, Jennifer was a Korea analyst at Eurasia Group, where she advised clients on South Korea’s domestic politics, regulatory environment, industrial policy, and geopolitical positioning. Earlier in her career, she served as an economic research analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, conducting quantitative and qualitative research on North Korea’s trade and economy. Her work included advanced econometric modeling and analysis of smart sanctions regimes, as well as assessments of China’s trade and investment ties with North Korea. She has also held roles at KB Kookmin Bank and the Samsung Economic Research Institute in Seoul, building a strong foundation in financial markets, corporate strategy, and policy research.
Jennifer is widely recognized as a leading voice on South Korea, U.S.-ROK relations, economic security, and industrial strategy. Her insights have appeared in Forbes, Foreign Policy, NBC, MSNBC, Korea Herald, Korea Times, Hankyoreh, and other major outlets. She regularly participates in forums at the nexus of geopolitics, technology, and economic competitiveness.
Jennifer holds an M.A. in International Affairs, with a concentration in International Economics and China, from the University of California, San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, where she graduated with highest honors. She earned her B.A. in Economics from Ewha Womans University graduating at the top of her class. She also studied at New York University and completed graduate-level coursework in economics at Ewha, majoring in Public Finance.
A New York native who spent her formative years across Asia – including Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea – Jennifer brings a deeply global perspective to her work. She is bilingual in Korean and English, with some proficiency in Japanese.