Interview with Eun Young Nam, Foreign Law Intern at Library of Congress

Today’s blog interview is with foreign law intern at the Global Legal Research Directorate at the Law Library of Congress, Eun Young Nam.

Describe your background.

My name is Eun Young Nam. Though Eun Young is my first name, people simply call me Eun during my studies and work in other countries. I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea.
What is your academic/professional history?

My academic and professional history focuses on international law and dispute resolution. I graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in May 2025, with a focus on international arbitration and dispute settlement. Before coming to the United States, I worked in the Korean government for four years, including at the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources, where I participated in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations including investment facilitation and the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference as part of the Korean delegation. I also reviewed Korean laws to comply with WTO rules. Additionally, I worked in the Ministry of Justice where I handled Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mitigation and prevention. I was assigned a two-year detail at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific from the Ministry of Justice. Prior to working in the ministries, I worked in government research institutions, including the Korean Legislation Research Institute, where I mainly dealt with climate change and energy law, and participated in revision work for the Commercial Act and Foreign Investment Promotion Act. I also worked at the Korea Energy Economies Institute, where I researched the framework of oil and gas development and industries in other countries.

I am a Ph.D. candidate in law, specializing in public international law, at Seoul National University. Apart from my LL.M. at Georgetown, I completed my first LL.M. in oil and gas law and policy at the University of Dundee in the United Kingdom, as well as an M.A. in international studies and a bachelor’s degree in law at Hanyang University in Korea.
How do you describe your job to other people?

As a foreign law intern in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress, I work under the supervision of Sayuri Umeda, a foreign law specialist. By conducting legal research on Korean-speaking jurisdictions, South Korea and North Korea, I assist my supervisor in addressing requests from Congress, executive agencies, and the courts. Additionally, I contribute to the Global Legal Monitor by writing articles on recent legislative developments and new regulations in those jurisdictions.
Why did you want to work at the Library of Congress?

My study and work have always been heavily related to research. As a former government official and researcher at government institutes, I understand the importance of wide and concrete legal research from other countries, which serves as grounds for better legislative work and policy-making. Additionally, I wanted to work here because of the fact that the Library provides research to various government agencies and Congress.
What is the most interesting fact that you’ve learned about the Library?

Early in my internship, I joined a tour with my fellow interns to see legal resource collections from all around the world. There is a room with endless rows of tall bookshelves filled with a vast collection of books from everywhere and from different time periods. The staff who led us kindly showed me textbooks from Korea, which surprised me by both the volume and variety of the collection. It even includes texts from countries most of us may never have the opportunity to visit. Also, some books were original books from the 17th or 18th centuries. The collection itself gave me the feeling that I was travelling the world and time with legal resources. At that moment, I truly realized that I am in the largest law library in the world. It was such a fascinating experience that I will never forget.
What’s something that most of your co-workers don’t know about you?

Learning languages is one of my biggest hobbies, as I believe that languages expand my world by helping me understand, explore, and experience, and I love to utilize the languages I have learned in my life. I studied Russian at Saint Petersburg State University in Russia for one year, which helped me to some extent during my service at the UNCIRAL Regional Centre. During my time in the government, I participated in the French language program sponsored by the Ministry of Personnel Management at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies for one semester, which provided me with a useful tool to have a better understanding of WTO work. I studied Chinese in high school, and I still often enjoy listening to Chinese music. I also studied basic German, which allows me to read menus and signs while travelling. Now I am thinking about learning Japanese.
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