United States of America

During the past decade, the United States and Korea have pursued free trade agreements (FTAs) with a number of bilateral trading partners. For the United States, the Korea-U.S. (KORUS) FTA…

The dramatic events of recent months—and, above all, North Korea’s second nuclear test and long-range missile launch—demonstrated once again that the Barack Obama administration and the international community at large…

In the spring of 2009, North Korea’s second nuclear test, its long-range missile tests, and its provocative rhetoric once again threatened stability in Northeast Asia. Once again, North Korea engaged…

Two years and nine months have passed since Korea and the United States put their signatures on the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). Nei- ther Korea nor the United…

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law on August 16, 2022. It is the most comprehensive climate law passed by the US government, committing over $400 billion to clean economy initiatives through a mix of tax credits and funding opportunities. The law has initiated a wave of green investment across the United States…

Donald Trump, his vice-presidential running mate J.D. Vance, and his prospective secretary of the Treasury Robert Lighthizer have all pointed to a weaker dollar as a solution to the competitiveness problems of US manufacturing. Their suggestions raise more questions than they answer, however. Is a weaker dollar, in fact, something that can be achieved? Would…

This piece builds upon previous analysis titled, “Digital Trade Wars: What U.S. Policymakers Need To Understand about South Korea’s Tech Regulation,” published on March 28, 2024. New legislation introduced in the US Congress suggests that a major US-South Korea digital trade dispute could be unfolding, with Korea’s recently proposed regulation of online platforms in the…

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) ended an East and Gulf Coast strike—its first strike since 1977—on October 3. Determined to receive substantial pay raises for workers, one of the ILA’s main points of contention was the role that automation may play in the industry as part of the overall progress in AI. Had it not…

Please join KEI and KIEP for a discussion about the first 10 years of KORUS and the future of the U.S.-Korea economic relationship.