Ellana Lee

The U.S.-North Korea summit on June 12, 2018 in Singapore marked the first meeting between the two countries. Major domestic and international media all sent their teams to Singapore. The world's biggest news network, CNN, aired live starting from the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un disembarking from their planes. Including CNN's leading news hosts, Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour, a gigantic team of hundred correspondents in the Asian region, reporters for the White House, producers, and photographers, was formed.

The team was led by Ellana Lee, Senior Vice President for CNN International. Leading the Asia-Pacific headquarters of Hong Kong since 2006 as Managing Editor, Ellana is the most senior executive in CNN outside of the U.S. She joined CNN in 1997, covering numerous historic events during her 25-year career. CNN broadcasts to 440 million households in over 200 countries worldwide, and CNN channel content in South Korea is edited and curated by the Asia-Pacific headquarters.

South Korean media covered her story when Lee received promotions or awards. Search results for her name show articles with headlines, such as "[South] Korean woman in 30s on being Asia-Pacific managing editor for the global news channel CNN (2006)," "[South] Korean power-woman leading CNN," and "Ambitious [South] Korean woman," reflecting her home country's pride in this international South Korean woman.

The Chosun Ilbo contacted Lee during her stay in Seoul for an interview with President Yoon Suk-yeol in May. When we asked the holder of the long title "CNN international managing editor Asia Pacific, and global head of features content" for the key behind her success, she replied, "When I was a student, I attended special lectures by famous people. They all said success comes from doing what you like. I thought they all said so because they had nothing else to say! But now I realized that it is true. Aspiring to go higher does not guarantee success. The most important thing is doing what you like."

◆ We are curious about the daily routine of a person with your responsibilities on a 24-hour news channel.

"I usually wake up at six and go to work. I check the e-mails from the U.S. headquarters and the news that broke overnight and prepare for the editorial meeting. At 8:45, the editors' meeting starts. We decide on which news to broadcast -- this is the most important meeting. After that, we have a conference call with our London office and Atlanta headquarters. Due to the time difference, sometimes I have to work until midnight. I'm grateful when I can go to bed at 11 p.m."

◆ What topics have you discussed in recent meetings?

"We discussed topics such as whether North Korea will conduct a seventh nuclear test, the power rivalry between the U.S. and China, the coronavirus situation in the Asia-Pacific, the inauguration of the new government in Australia, and the economic crises in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Once you spend enough time as a journalist, you develop a sense of which news to cover. But I think that what should we not cover is always more important than what should we cover, because what we do not cover can just disappear without a trace."

◆ What is your role in CNN?

"I have two main roles. I am responsible for the (Asia-Pacific) region, stretching from Pakistan to Japan and China, to New Zealand, and all the news output in the region. The other responsibility is I am global head of features content, which covers travel, business, technology, and more. The most important role, however, is leading and supporting our journalists and producers."

Ellana Lee (left) with President Yoon Suk-yeol during a CNN interview in May.

◆ President Yoon Suk-yeol chose CNN as his first interview partner.

"We always pay close attention to who becomes the South Korean president. This time as well. We have been contacting him continuously since he was a candidate. President Yoon did an interview with us two weeks after his inauguration -- this is very exceptional. It is also likely thanks to President Joe Biden's visit to South Korea. I was surprised by how he made the reporters feel comfortable. When meeting presidents in the past, formalities and protocol were very important. But President Yoon greeted us casually and we had some small talk. Him being easygoing made those surrounding him appear at ease as well."

◆ What kind of small talk?

"When I asked how he will walk his dog, he said he was also still thinking about it because of security issues. He also talked about how the first lady's friend asked her to take care of her cat for a while, so his pet family has increased to eight, adding to his worries. It was very impressive that he wanted to maintain his everyday life from before the presidency even after becoming president. He struck me as somebody who wanted to break the stereotypes surrounding the president."

◆ You met six South Korean presidents from Kim Dae-jung to Yoon.

"President Roh Moo-hyun invited reporters to his office. At that time, [Cheong Wa Dae] started to adopt a paperless meeting, and he showed us. There was just a computer on his desk and nothing else. It was really different and new then. I met President Lee Myung-bak at Davos Forum, and he was very businessman-like. All previous presidents had their own characters. However, they all shared one common thing. They all had a lot of hope and expectations for the future of [South Korea]."

◆ What are the most memorable events covered in South Korea?

"My first trip for CNN was to South Korea. I came to Seoul to cover the 1997 IMF crisis. You could feel the despair wherever you went. But at the same time, I witnessed the amazing resilience of [South] Koreans. People volunteered to donate their gold. My fellow reporters were just shocked at the solidarity of the people. Back then no one knew where South Korea was. And of course, I was the only [South] Korean in CNN. I was proud to be born in [South] Korea."

Ellana went to the U.S. after graduating from high school in [South] Korea. She studied history and international relations at Georgetown University and broadcast journalism at New York University. She joined the CNN New York bureau in 1997 as a producer.

◆ What made you pursue a career in journalism?

"Georgetown University alumni usually go into law or politics, but I found journalism more dynamic. I decided to join an American news company after witnessing the good and bad of [South] Korean journalism during my adolescent years. In the 1980s, media did play a positive role in the South Korean society, but I don't think there was a lot of fact-checking taking place."

CNN reporters at the 2018 U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore. Ellana Lee is in a white dress in the front row. CNN's main news host, Anderson Cooper, is sitting on her right.

◆ How did your journey with CNN begin?

"CNN was the only Western media I had known growing up in South Korea. In my senior year at the university, I did an internship at CNN. Then I went to journalism school at New York University to learn more about journalism. I also worked as an intern at CNN during my last year at NYU. I mainly took care of photocopying and tape logging. 'Even the less major tasks matter' is the mindset that I had, and near the end of the internship, I received a job offer."

◆ After nine years at CNN, you have been promoted to managing editor of Asia Pacific.

"The first nine years went by really fast that I can hardly remember. I moved from New York to Hong Kong with just one suitcase. As soon as I arrived in Hong Kong, I started working from 1 a.m. for the 6 a.m. program. I did that for four years. I could endure this thanks to my wonderful colleagues. Also, I was lucky to work with seniors who always remembered that I was working overtime every day. Rather than trying to stand out alone, I always worked with great emphasis on teamwork. I think that played an important role."

◆ What is your favorite or the most memorable content/program/documentary that you have made?

"I am most fond of our 2017 documentary 'Secret State: Inside North Korea.' You can't e-mail or pick up the phone to get approvals in North Korea. It took more than 10 trips to convince North Koreans to let us tell their story. We were able to meet local residents outside Pyongyang, and climb up Mt. Baekdu. I am also proud of the 2019 documentary we produced called 'Ted Turner: Captain Planet.' Ted was not only the founder of CNN and passionate about news, but he was equally passionate about the environment, and we focused on that. Even from the 1980s, CNN carried environmental programs when no one was championing it. I always think that journalism should use reach and influence for good like Ted."

In 2019, Ellana also proposed the global environmental protection initiative Call to Earth. More than 500 schools in over 160 countries around the work are participating in this campaign. Students pick up garbage and plant trees, and CNN correspondents report various efforts for the environment around the globe.

"News usually talks about what is wrong, but not about how to solve it. But people pay attention to solutions instead of problems. Call to Earth suggests solutions. And I am proud that CNN broadcasts this campaign program for hours."

◆ What are the values that CNN aspire?

"Credibility. To gain trust, news media should deliver accurate information. Of course, we want to deliver news first and fastest. However, broadcasting incorrect news first means nothing. We have strict screening processes every day for every news. For example, to cover the war in Ukraine, 300 CNN staff are deployed in the region, and a similar number supporting them. For one photograph of the war, we analyze metadata and many experts to verify it. People working at CNN are proud of delivering accurate news."

◆ For a long time, journalism has been conceived as an industry in crisis.

"When Trump won the 2016 U.S. presidential election, all media were surprised. No one predicted it. Media did not look into the thoughts of ordinary Americans living in the south-central region. We covered the scene from a distance, only to produce articles far from reality. Since then, CNN has hired more journalists and sent them out more."

Ellana Lee is the daughter of Ambassador Dho Young-Shim, the chairwoman of the UN World Tourism Organization's Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) Foundation. Dho graduated from Ewha Girls High School in 1966 and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master's from the University of Oklahoma before working as the 13th national assembly member of South Korea.

◆ Do you consider yourself a privileged child?

"I won't deny that I have had a privileged upbringing, but it didn't come from money. The most valuable gift my mother gave to me was her way of thinking and attitude towards life. Growing up, all my friend's mothers stayed at home, and my mother was the only working mom. She worked hard while juggling a family but was more strict than other mothers.

Coming home after school around 4 p.m., the phone rang every time. It was my mother who always checked to see if I am home. Just because my mother was working did not mean I could neglect my studies or do anything else. Seeing my mother, I thought, 'I can do anything, and I can be anything.' I consider this my greatest asset. I often think about how difficult it must have been for my mother to work as a woman in [South] Korea at that time. She was a real trailblazer."

◆ You've said you feel Asian and think American.

"Since I grew up in [South] Korea as a child, the way I feel (primarily) is [South] Korean, and the way I think (secondarily) is American because I studied and worked in the States. When was in my 20s, however, I experienced an identity crisis, asking myself, 'Am I American or [South] Korean?' As I get older, I combine the advantages of the two identities. The strength of being American is the can do spirit, and [South] Korean, prudence and empathy.

◆ What do you think is a problem that South Korea faces today?

"It would be arrogant of me to point out [South] Korea's problems. However, if there is a wish, I hope for more environments where women can work. I have been with CNN so I could get this far. Seeing my Korean female friends, not many have pursued a career except for a few. Would I be able to work like I have been if I had lived in [South] Korea? I am not sure."

◆ Did you have any difficulties as an Asian woman in America?

"I've received so much support (from the company), so I did not have much hardship. However, there were some incidents like this. Until a few years ago, when I went abroad to have meetings, nine out of 10 people thought I was an interpreter. If my subordinate was a white male or an Asian male, they would look at him and talk to him [instead of me]. They could not imagine a young Asian woman being the representative. At first, I was taken aback. But I decided to enjoy the counterpart’s reaction [when they found out that I was the CNN representative]. As time went by, the men sitting in front of me changed their minds. No one sees me as an interpreter any more!"

◆ Have you ever felt like giving up?

"Once. After spending four years at CNN, I burned out. This was when I was working seven days a week, even in my dreams. I took a sabbatical for three months and returned to Seoul. By the end of the time off, I decided to resign, but my boss wouldn't accept my resignation. Instead, she offered me the move to Hong Kong to spend a few years. The work in Hong Kong was dynamic and full of excitement. To me, the boss at that time is like an angel."

◆ How do you deal with stress?

"Silence is how I relieve stress. In news, we are constantly reading, listening, and speaking every day. Times where I am not bombarded with so much noise are extremely precious to me."

◆ What kind of leader are you?

"I want to be a warm-hearted leader. I'm always open to the employees, and it is an important task for me to listen to their stories and empathize with them. Recently, some of the employees had to be separated from their children due to Hong Kong's COVID quarantine restrictions. I let these employees work outside of Hong Kong. A leader should be able to understand her colleagues' situations at any time."

◆ Is there anything you want to say to those who dream of becoming global leaders?

"CNN is like a smaller version of the UN, where people of various races, nationalities, and identities are gathered. To work at a place like this, you first need to embrace being global. This is not just speaking different languages, one has to be able to understand different perspectives, different cultures."

◆ I'm curious about your standard in choosing colleagues to work with.

"A positive and collegiate attitude. We work long hours in some of the toughest places in the world and we work in teams. We don't work alone. You might be the smartest person on the team but if you don't have the right attitude, you would not last."

◆ What do you think will be your next role in CNN?

"I have not thought about it. I've never worked to reach certain positions. I always headed to where 'real news' was taking place, and the Asia-Pacific region was that place. There is a Chinese saying, 'The mountain is high, the emperor far away.' It means when land is big and the seat of power is a long way away, local officials can do whatever they want. I think I am comfortable far away from the headquarters."

◆ What is your dream?

"At this very moment, it is important to grab a chance given in the current situation. Someday I will leave CNN and retire. I don't want to stop working in my life. I want to continue something. I still don't know yet what it would be."

◆ If you could interview anyone without limitations, whom would you like to meet?

"Chinese President Xi Jinping or North Korean leader Kim Jong-un? I will have to think about what to ask."