Professor Lee is a Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Korea University, South Korea, and a former UN Secretary-General's Advisory Group member of the Peacebuilding Fund. She was also a former Special Advisor to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Independent Inquiry on the Rwandan Genocide.

Professor Lee has published numerous articles and books, covering issues of global security including non-traditional security, international organisations, East Asian foreign policy and security cooperation.