Jong Ung Cheon is the Chief Executive Officer of WAR LAB and WAR LAB NEXUS, operating at the intersection of private-sector technological innovation and military defense requirements. An expert in strategic planning and military pedagogy, he  previously served as an Adjunct Professor training future military specialists in algorithmic systems and robotics.

Cheon’s professional background bridges high-level military operations with elite academic research. He is a former Lieutenant Colonel in the Republic of Korea Army, having served as an officer who served in strategic and force planning roles at both the Republic of Korea Army Headquarters and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Notably, during his military tenure, he directly managed the deployment of advanced surveillance and security architectures along the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). 

His academic background reflects a multidisciplinary foundation spanning military affairs, management, security studies, and engineering. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the Korea Military Academy, a master’s degree in Business Administration from Korea University, an MA in Science and Security from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, and a PhD in Engineering from Kwangwoon University.

He also served as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre (CCW) at the University of Oxford, where his research focused on historical military doctrines, geopolitical stability, and contemporary strategic developments.