Spotlight: David Kim, U.S. Forces Korea
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Photo: Courtesy David Kim
Eun Chong "David" Kim knows precision matters, working at the intersection of military operations, the media and the U.S. alliance with South Korea.
As senior press officer for United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, Kim prepares leaders, coordinates across organizations and helps shape messages around events that can carry very different meanings across cultures.
Why it matters: Communicators don't just exist in boardrooms and agencies— careful judgment, nuance and close relationships are prized in diplomatic and military affairs.
🏋 Learning the ropes: His predecessor, Kim Yong-kyu, worked in that role for nearly 40 years and taught Kim the profession "is a form of craftsmanship, refined over time through experience, judgment and trust."
- "You become a witness to history, but the real currency is trust, built over years with U.S., Korean and international leaders, colleagues, and journalists."
🫣 Tough lesson: "Relationships matter before you need them."
- "You cannot wait until a crisis or difficult story to start building trust with journalists, colleagues or partners."
🌎 Trendspotting: Communicators may be underestimating just how fragmented the information environment has become. "Monitoring coverage is no longer enough," he said.
- "Communicators need to understand why a narrative is gaining attention, who is driving it and how different audiences may interpret the same information."
- "As a Korean national working within a U.S. military organization, I see firsthand how the same words, decisions or events can carry very different meanings across cultures and audiences."
🕔 Off the clock: Kim spends time with people outside the military and public affairs world, including journalists and people in completely different fields.
- "It's easy to become immersed in the same context and priorities every day. Those conversations remind me to keep things clear and simple."
- "A few rounds [of boxing] during the week help clear my head and give me a lot of energy."
📚 Currently consuming: Rereading Franz Kafka's "The Trial."
- "I keep coming back to it because I like how it explores bureaucracy, uncertainty and the way people navigate systems they do not fully understand."
💡 Best advice: "Know the mission. See the need. Move."
- "Good judgment is not about avoiding risk. It is about understanding it well enough to act."
- And above all, be trustworthy. "Credibility takes time to build and very little time to lose."
