Oihyun Kim is a South Korean journalist, editor, and academic whose career has encompassed international affairs, digital media, government advisory, and cryptocurrency markets. He is the East Asia editor-in-chief and a senior correspondent at the cryptocurrency news organization BeInCrypto. Concurrently, Kim serves as an adjunct professor at Woosuk University. ^[2]

Education

Kim received a Bachelor of Arts from Yonsei University, a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. He later pursued graduate studies at the University of North Korean Studies, where he earned a Master’s degree, focusing on a specialized area of international relations and political science. ^[1]​

Career

Kim's professional journey began with an internship in the semiconductor operations division at Samsung Electronics. In 2002, he moved into media, taking on a news production role at Thomson Reuters. During his time there, he contributed to television coverage for major global events, including the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.

In 2003, Kim transitioned to the automotive industry, joining Hyundai Motor Company. He served as a regional manager in the company's overseas sales division until 2006. In this capacity, his responsibilities included managing marketing initiatives, overseeing logistics, and coordinating with business partners and markets throughout the Middle East. ^[3]

Journalism at The Hankyoreh

In 2006, Kim returned to journalism, joining the South Korean newspaper The Hankyoreh as a reporter. He initially covered a broad range of topics, including domestic and international news. He became involved in the publication's development of digital media, contributing to its early social media strategy and initiatives in multimedia journalism.

He later specialized as a political correspondent, where his reporting focused on South Korean national politics, inter-Korean relations, and diplomacy. During this period, he also wrote regular political commentary for the publication. From 2016 to 2019, Kim was posted internationally as the paper's Beijing correspondent. Based in China, he reported on Chinese politics and current affairs and frequently appeared as a guest analyst on local broadcast programs, including CCTV and Phoenix TV. While in Beijing, he was also actively involved in the foreign press community, serving as a board member of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China. ^{[1] [3]}

Crypto-Focused Journalism and Consulting

After more than a decade at The Hankyoreh, Kim shifted his focus to the emerging field of cryptocurrency journalism. From 2019 to 2020, he served as the editor-in-chief of CoinDesk Korea, the Korean-language affiliate of the global crypto media outlet. In this leadership role, he was responsible for overseeing all content strategy and managing international partnerships. He also represented the organization at industry events, including participating in the global Consensus conference in 2020. Following his tenure at CoinDesk Korea, Kim worked as the knowledge director at Platform 9 3/4 Consulting. His work at the firm centered on leadership strategy and research into current affairs. ^{[1] [3]}

Government Service and Advisory Positions

In 2021, Kim was appointed to a position in the presidential office of South Korea, also known as the Blue House. He served as the assistant secretary for political affairs until 2022. After his government service, he held a short-term advisory role at IGIS Asset Management in 2022, followed by further advisory work within the digital asset sector. ^{[1] [3]}

BeInCrypto and Academia

Kim joined BeInCrypto in 2022, initially as the lead for its Korea and Japan operations. In this role, he was tasked with launching and establishing the company's dedicated Korean and Japanese domains. In 2025, he was promoted to his current position as East Asia editor-in-chief and senior correspondent. In this expanded role, he directs editorial strategy and content operations for both English and regional language platforms, with a focus on growing the organization's coverage of the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2025, Kim also joined the faculty of Woosuk University as an adjunct professor. ^{[1] [3]}

Publications and Writing

Kim is the author of seven books. Among his published works are A History of Terra Project and A Guide to Korean Won Stablecoins, which delve into specific topics within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. His writing extends beyond journalism and crypto analysis to include leadership studies and crisis management. He has authored profiles on public figures such as baseball player Shohei Ohtani and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Kim also contributes Web3-focused columns to various publications. ^[1]​