Former National Intelligence Officer for North Korea will join the Asia Security Initiative as a nonresident senior fellow

WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 12, 2020 – The Atlantic Council announced today that Markus V. Garlauskas, a distinguished expert on North Korea issues, the US-South Korea alliance, and strategic analysis, will join the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Asia Security Initiative (ASI) as a non-resident senior fellow. Garlauskas’ deep, current expertise on the Korean Peninsula and his experience in building high-performing analytic coalitions will add tremendous value to ASI’s efforts to develop cutting-edge analysis and programming on North Korea. His support will help provide practical solutions and forward-looking strategies for security on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

“We are thrilled that Markus will be joining our growing team and providing us with such currency and depth of expertise on North Korea. I have no doubt that any projects on North Korea that he leads will have enormous policy impact,” said Dr. Miyeon Oh, Director and Senior Fellow of the Asia Security Initiative.

With over two decades of experience specializing in Northeast Asian security issues, Garlauskas comes to the Atlantic Council from his position leading the US intelligence community’s strategic analysis on Korea as the National Intelligence Officer for North Korea from July 2014 to June 2020. His analyses have helped shape US policy processes, crisis reactions, and executive decisions at the highest level, including the Singapore and Hanoi summits with North Korea. A recipient of the Civilian Distinguished Service Award, the highest civilian award from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Garlauskas also served on the headquarters staff of US Forces Korea for twelve years in key positions including Director of Strategy and Chief of Intelligence Estimates. Garlauskas graduated magna cum laude from Kent State University and holds a master’s degree with distinction in Security Studies from Georgetown University.

“I am honored to be joining the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center, named for one of my role models as a strategist and national security teambuilder.” Garlauskas said. “I look forward to supporting Dr. Miyeon Oh‘s direction of ASI by leading new policy-relevant analytic efforts and events to further expand the breadth and depth of the ASI’s work on North Korea issues. I am grateful to have this opportunity to bring my experiences serving overseas and in Washington to further contribute to addressing security challenges in Northeast Asia. It is exciting to be working with and informing the thinking of a much broader community than I could inside the government.”

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Asia Security Initiative (ASI) promotes forward-looking strategies and constructive solutions for the most pressing issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the rise of China, in order to enhance cooperation between the United States and its regional allies and partners. Key to this mission is translating US policy objectives and strategic aims into nuanced messages to Asian stakeholders that incorporate Indo-Pacific voices in order to foster a community of like-minded nations committed to adapting and defending the rules-based international system.

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