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Professor Morse Tan selected by President Trump for key diplomatic post

April 17, 2019

President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate NIU Law Professor Morse Tan to serve as the Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice, a key position in his Administration. According to their site, the Office of Global Criminal Justice advises the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights on issues related to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. In particular, the Office helps formulate U.S. policy on the prevention of, responses to, and accountability for mass atrocities.

Professor Tan has been a member of the NIU Law faculty since 2010 and has taught a number of courses including International Law, Human Rights, and Constitutional Law. Prior to that Professor Tan had been on the faculty of the Florida Coastal School of Law and had also served as a visiting scholar and senior research fellow at the University of Texas School of Law.

Professor Tan was a Founding Professor of the first American juris doctor program in Asia at Handong International Law School in South Korea.  He was a Supreme Court Fellowship finalist, completed the Emerging Leader program of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and was selected as Korean-American of the Year by the Korean-American Society of Chicago.

His work on North Korea has been received by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the South Korean ambassador to the U.S. and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State who led negotiations with North Korea. No scholar has produced more law review articles on North Korea than he has.

He has contributed to a number of media outlets, including the National Law Journal, UPI (United Press International), WGN radio and Radio Free Asia. Professor Tan has consulted on legal as well as ethical matters. Professor Tan has also been a frequent speaker at conferences and symposia on North Korea and other international concerns, and currently serves on the International Committee of SEALS (the Southeastern Association of Law Schools) and is a Presidential Level Member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Professor Tan graduated with honors from Wheaton College, attained an accelerated Master’s from Wheaton’s graduate school, and earned his JD from Northwestern University School of Law, where he completed an international law concentration. He is fluent in Korean and Spanish.