From 1996 to the time of his posting in Washington, Ambassador Yang served as a member of the Korean National Assembly. During which time he served as President of the Unification and Policy Forum and Chairman of the International Cooperation Committee for the National Congress of New Politics. He also served as Vice Chair of the Unification and Foreign Affairs Committee and was a member of the Political Reform Committee. Most recently, Ambassador Yang served as an executive member of the New Millennium Democratic Party's 21st Century National Affairs Advisory Committee.
Outside of the National Assembly, Ambassador Yang has been actively involved in professional activities and public service for many years. He served as the Secretary-General of the Association of Korean Political Scientists in North America and as President of the Korean Association of International Studies. He has also been a member of the Advisory Committees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Unification.
In addition to his involvement in government, Ambassador Yang has had a successful career in academia. He was a professor at Eastern Kentucky University from 1970-1975 and at the University of Kentucky from 1975-1986. He has also been a visiting professor at Northwestern University, Pembroke State University, Indiana University and Seoul National University. From 1987-1994, Ambassador Yang held the position of Dean of Academic Affairs at the Graduate Institute of Peace Studies at Kyung Hee University in Seoul.
Ambassador Yang is the author of numerous books on Korean issues, including The North and South Korean Political Systems: A Comparative Analysis (Westview, 1994). He is also a much sought after contributor to many political science journals. He has been interviewed often by leading newspapers, magazines and radio stations from around the world.
Ambassador Yang received his Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Kentucky (1970), earlier receiving an MA from the University of Hawaii (1967) and a BA from Seoul National University (1964). From 1960-1962 he served in the Korean Army.
Ambassador Yang was born on November 20, 1939. He is married to Jung Jin Lee and has one son, Eugene, and one daughter, Susan.