Republic of Korea Air Force Colonel Sungpyo Hong arrived at AFIT in February 2009 to begin a one-year sabbatical visit. Colonel Hong is a Professor of Defense Policy, Strategic Planning, Airpower Strategy, and Future War, and is the Director of the Department of Military Strategy Studies at the Korea National Defense University (KNDU).

Colonel Hong is being hosted by the Department of Systems and Engineering Management. While at AFIT, Colonel Hong hopes to conduct research and collaborate in the areas of national crisis management strategy and issues of the US - Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance. He will be collaborating with faculty in the Department of Systems and Engineering Management on environmental management, environmental sustainability, natural resource management (particularly with regard to U.S. operations in the ROK), chemical/biological/nuclear preparation and response, and how the strategic vision of future warfare and weapons can motivate current DoD research and development management.

Colonel Hong will also present lectures and seminars in the above areas and work with graduate degree students in the department through independent study courses and as a thesis committee member.

Colonel Hong earned his bachelor of science degree from the ROK Air Force Academy, his master’s degree in politics from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and his doctorate in politics from Hull University in Great Britain. He did postdoctoral studies at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California, and prior to his current position on the KNDU faculty served in the ROK Air Force and Ministry of National Defense as a strategist, planner, and policy advisor.