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My name is Hyuntaek “Tag” Lee. I’m a current IRE board member and South Korean journalist seeking re-election to further amplify international voices within IRE and vice versa.
As IRE's first board member from an Asian country, I devoted myself to engage international journalists with IRE. I initiated the international committee, hosted international sessions at AccessFest and IRE24, featuring journalists from Pakistan, Montenegro and Burundi.
My home country, South Korea, despite political complexities, is a good pilot place for IRE’s global collaboration. This April, I invited IRE representation to the Journalists Association of Korea’s annual conference (50+ countries) and aim to ensure annual IRE member participation for global exchange. Following the first IRE Seoul meetup in January, I'm actively pursuing international fellowship funding, hoping to inspire broader international engagement with IRE, like the Toronto IJB-IRE conference.
My initial 2023 board run aimed to extend IRE’s exceptional training globally. If re-elected, my focus is to engage with journalists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Recognizing their financial barriers for IRE, engaging the Global South is vital for mutual benefit. I will cowork with esteemed journalists like Nkosikhona Dibiti (Community Podium) from Zimbabwe and Shelly Walia (The Quint) from India.
I am also committed to representing J-school students and early-career journalists within IRE. While the IRE board boasts top journalism leaders in the U.S., I aim to bring the perspective of a recent graduate, having earned my master's degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University last year. I spent my school life getting public records with my colleagues and writing articles. My experience attending IRE’s Phoenix workshop with my classmates provided valuable insight into the issues and future goals for making IRE more accessible for young members. I strongly advocate for early-career member discounts and the establishment of pilot student chapters. I believe IRE should have student chapters in numerous journalism schools in the U.S., as well as pilot chapters globally.
I have worked for the two largest newspapers in South Korea for the past 17 years. I taught at Yoonseyoung Journalism School at Ewha Womans University, an institution that offers full-scholarship education to all students. 40 students of mine became journalists in major media outlets in Korea. I have co-authored several books for Korean journalism students, and my recent book, titled AI and Journalists, was published this April. I was also selected as an Educator of Color fellow for an IRE data journalism bootcamp.
In short, I believe that amplifying the voices of our members, especially international members, students, and early career journalists, will enrich our IRE. Let us not merely hope for progress, but set ambitious goals for international and younger members. Is it possible to host an international IRE conference in Africa? Why don’t we consider allowing student representation on the board in the near future? The answer for change is yours, and I aim to be your friend for coming years.
Andrew Lehren (City University of New York, IRE Board Member): It is my honor to nominate Hyuntaek "Tag" Lee to continue on IRE’s Board of Directors. I’ve worked with Tag on initiatives to expand IRE’s services and reach for its members. First, as chair of the International Committee, Tag is making great strides to help IRE work with its members overseas, and to make IRE more inclusive and affordable. He is working to establish a fellowship program to send journalists to IRE conferences. Tag is also helping expand IRE’s meetups and hosted IRE’s first international gathering in Seoul. Tag comes with a wealth of experience. He is an assistant editor for a leading South Korean newspaper and he taught at the Yoonseyoung Journalism School at Ewha Womans University, which is 100 percent tuition-free. He got a fellowship and then, this past year, he earned a master’s degree at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He is a valuable part of the IRE Board and I hope you all join me in supporting Tag for re-election.
Christopher Lomahquahu (Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting): I am writing this letter to nominate Hyuntaek "Tag" Lee for a position as a board member on the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Board of Directors. I have had the privilege of working alongside Tag during my time as an investigative graduate student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. In our collaboration on an investigative project, I witnessed firsthand Tag’s professionalism, dedication, and ability to represent himself and his peers with integrity. His commitment to excellence and his collaborative spirit make him an ideal candidate to serve on the IRE Board of Directors. As a member of IRE, I value the organization’s mission and initiatives, and I believe that Tag embodies the qualities needed to further these goals. His leadership skills, combined with his passion for investigative journalism, position him as an excellent choice for this role, which provides him with an opportunity to lead a cadre of international journalists and students. It is with confidence that I endorse Tag Lee’s candidacy for the IRE Board of Directors. He has my full support, and I am certain he will make significant contributions in this position.
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