Ra Jong-Yil, Ph.D. is a Distinguished Professor at Gachon University and an author of multiple books on politics concerning North Korea. He previously served as South Korean ambassador to Japan and the UK, a director at the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and a Senior National Security Advisor to the Blue House.

He completed his BA and MA at Seoul National University before coming to Cambridge to complete a PhD at Trinity College. Later he became a Professor at Kyung Hee University and a Fullbright Senior Fellow of USC.