Foreign Policy Blogs

The Koreas

North Korea after 60 Years of Status Quo

North Korea after 60 Years of Status Quo

Lack of political will is largely motivating the inaction in the Korean peninsula. But with nuclear weapons threatening US mainland, it may be that Washington will decide on a policy of “now or never”.

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South Korea’s Political Impasse could Redefine the Balance in the Korean Peninsula

South Korea’s Political Impasse could Redefine the Balance in the Korean Peninsula

South Korea’s new president will largely determine the future of the US-ROK alliance, relations with China, and the security approach in the Korean peninsula.

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Permanent Neutrality for a Unified Korea May Be The Only Solution for DPRK Crisis

Permanent Neutrality for a Unified Korea May Be The Only Solution for DPRK Crisis

Permanent neutrality for a unified Korea may initially appear to be a radical proposal to the DPRK issue, but the days of conventional thinking are over.

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Post-impeachment Consensus Calls for a New Political System in South Korea

Post-impeachment Consensus Calls for a New Political System in South Korea

In the aftermath of the Candlelight Revolution, the Korean people’s demands for constitutionally restructuring the post-1987 presidency have heightened.

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North Korea’s ICBM Threat and the Trump Administration

North Korea’s ICBM Threat and the Trump Administration

Pyongyang could decide to conduct a new ballistic test in the early weeks of the new administration to gauge President Trump’s response.

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What Does Trump’s “Pivot” Back To South Korea Mean For His Foreign Policy?

What Does Trump’s “Pivot” Back To South Korea Mean For His Foreign Policy?

While campaigning, Trump argued that the U.S. should no longer pay for Seoul’s defense. As president-elect, he has reversed his claim.

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Japan and South Korea: Towards a Closer Security Cooperation

Japan and South Korea: Towards a Closer Security Cooperation

Japan and South Korea are the most strategically valuable U.S. allies in the region. They are also the most exposed to the North Korean military threat.

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China should Recalibrate its Policies towards North Korea

China should Recalibrate its Policies towards North Korea

China can no longer be patient with its rambunctious neighbor. A number of Chinese experts have recently recognized that Kim Jong-un is a worn-out nuisance.

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The Fall of North Korea: A Wikistrat Crowdsourced Simulation

The Fall of North Korea: A Wikistrat Crowdsourced Simulation

Drawing from the opinions of 70 analysts, the simulation “gamed out” the various pathways to collapse and the response of major actors in the region.

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THAAD Fuels Tensions in South Korea-China Relations

THAAD Fuels Tensions in South Korea-China Relations

After months of intense negotiations, the US-South Korea Joint Working Group announced the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

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North Korea’s Missile Tests Fuels Tensions

North Korea’s Missile Tests Fuels Tensions

North Korea’s latest missile test represents an evident shift in the region’s balance of power, threatening the U.S. and its allies.

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Beijing Signals Through North Korean Defectors

Beijing Signals Through North Korean Defectors

Groups of North Korean workers in China successfully fled to the South in April and May, signaling that Beijing is losing patience with the Kim’s regime.

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Korean Choices – Great Decisions Spring Updates

Korean Choices – Great Decisions Spring Updates

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has been negotiating with China and Iran in order to gain an advantage in future talks with Kim Jong-un’s regime.

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Nuclear Power and Economic Reform in the Age of Kim Jong-un

Nuclear Power and Economic Reform in the Age of Kim Jong-un

At the 7th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim Jong-un is expected to promote his byungjin policy: simultaneously strengthening the nuclear arsenal and fostering economic development.

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North Korea’s Impasse Highlights Northeastern Asia’s Fragile Peace

North Korea’s Impasse Highlights Northeastern Asia’s Fragile Peace

The erratic behavior of the Kim dynasty has long enraged and exasperated both its enemies and allies, though larger states have certainly used North Korea’s existence as a fig leaf for moves of their own.

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