School of Social and Political Science

Research interests

I am a PhD candidate in Politics and International Relations. I am interested in the social and political dynamics shaped by digital surveillance and other policies associated with digital technology or AI, including controversial or ethical problems. My PhD research “Digital surveillance for controlling COVID-19 in South Korea: Focusing on social impacts and controversial issues”, explores the emerging ethical issues and the social impacts caused by digital surveillance systems during COVID-19 and it proposes a framework by which to understand the dynamics of policy, applied technology, and the responses of populations. It does this through analysis of relevant documents and interviews with populations in South Korea who have experienced such systems. My current research is an interdisciplinary study into the fields of digital surveillance, politics, policy, infectious disease, public health, and ethics.  
I am also interested in digital IDs and AI ethics. I would like to study emerging technologies or digital systems that incorporate biometric information to investigate not only their benefits but also their drawbacks and the unexpected effects they might have. Before coming to the University of Edinburgh, I was interested in governance and management, and I am still open to those fields of study and hope to make linkages between my current and previous research interests.    

Education

PhD in Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh, 2021-Present

MSc in Policy Research, University of Bristol, 2021

  (Thesis: A critical review of the policy using electronic bracelets for controlling COVID-19 in Korea)

MBA, Yonsei University, 2019

BSc in Clothing and Textiles and BA in Political Science and Diplomacy, Yonsei University, 2011

Publications

Yun, S. B. (2024) Policy Dilemma and Government Responses in Health Crisis: Focus on the Vaccine Pass. Korea Safety Health Environment Foundation. https://koreashe.org/board/?mode=view&board_id=sheforum_lib&post_id=99993&reqmode=wp

Jung, J. H. and Yun, S. B. (2024) Un-politicizing a Deadly Virus: International Norm Development and Naming an Infectious Disease In South Korea. Sociology Compass (Submitted)

Conference Presentations

Un-politicizing a Deadly Virus: International Norm Development and Naming an Infectious Disease In South Korea

  MPSA (Midwest Political Science Association) 2024, Chicago

Policy Dilemma and Government Responses in Health Crisis: Focus on the Vaccine Pass

  Korea Safety Health Environment Foundation's Environmental Academic Forum 2023, Seoul

The limitations of the ethical guidelines established by international organisations and Western researchers for digital surveillance technologies in the COVID era

  BISA (British International Studies Association) 2023, Glasgow

The dynamics of countermeasures and narratives during the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic

  STS (Science and Technology Studies) Italia 2023, Bologna

A critical review of the trial use of digital identity in South Korea

  Turing Trustworthy Digital Identity International Conference 2022, London

Supervisors

Charles Raab

Xiaobai Shen