Strikes Without Bite
Laws requiring metro workers to minimize disruptions to public transportation during strikes are reflective of the adversarial environment facing unions.
South Korea Struggles to Meet Its Ecological Aspirations
Lucrative fossil fuel projects and lingering domestic concerns around nuclear power pose challenges for Seoul’s ecological aspirations
Kurds and Koreans
The U.S. withdraw of troops from North Syria to help protect the Kurds puts U.S. reliability as an alliance partner in question.
Engaging the Koreas on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
The SDGs are ambitious and aspirational, and there is plenty of branding, bluster and propaganda by governments, but both Koreas take them seriously.
Administration’s Response to Demographic Shift May Alienate Young Men
The government’s public relations campaign aims to address disaffection among young men who are chafing under military service obligations.
African Swine Fever Crosses the DMZ
The transnational contagion of African Swine Fever highlights the urgency of inter-Korean cooperation.
Discussion around Crime Investigations Reveal Growing Sensitivity to Individual Rights
High-profile uses of DNA samples to identify criminals have raised concerns around individual privacy.
Public Support for Inter-Korean Sports Diplomacy Cools
While it remains an avenue for engagement with North Korea, South Koreans are more wary of bearing the cost of sports diplomacy.
Debate around South Korea’s Role in the Alliance Splits along Partisan Lines
The transfer of wartime operational control of South Korean military from Washington to Seoul remains a wedge issue in Korean politics.
Robust Online Political Discourse Carries Side Effects
Many partisan internet users are engaging in an arms race to manipulate search tools rather than engaging in substantive policy discussions.