Hahnjae Lee

2025-2026 Columbia University Scholar

Headshot of Hahnjae Lee, 2025-2026 Columbia University Scholar

Republic of Korea

Public Interest Lawyer, Duroo Association for Public Interest Law

Transforming South Korea’s approach to migrant justice by challenging immigration detention through legal advocacy and civic innovation

Hahnjae Lee is an attorney at law with the Duroo Association for Public Interest Law, where he specializes in immigrant and refugee rights. Hahnjae leads efforts to drive policy reform, conducts strategic impact litigation, offers counseling to immigrant communities, and leads public awareness campaigns on migrant rights. Hahnjae also founded and coordinates the Immigration Detention Response Network, a national coalition that centers the voices of detained migrants and asylum seekers to drive systemic change. Hahnjae’s focus on the Scholars program is to explore strategies for achieving a reform of immigration detention in South Korea by driving policy change, building a new organization to lead this effort, and acquiring the professional skills necessary to support it. Through this work, he hopes to develop a new model of a lawyer-activist who can lead social transformation in South Korea.

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The Obama Foundation Scholars program gives rising leaders from around the world who are already making a difference in their communities the opportunity to take their work to the next level.

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