Politics

Free elections are not part of North Korea’s political fabric, but Kim Jong-Il and his advisors are undoubtedly aware that the regime’s legitimacy will be challenged if it fails to…

They Did What?! On the morning of May 25, after giving the U.S. government one hour’s notice, North Korea detonated a nuclear device underground at the same northeast site of…

As it focused on rapid industrialization and accelerated economic growth, Korea had little leisure to worry about environmentally sustainable growth, with severe consequences: Korea is one of the top ten…

For Korea watchers—and particularly for those of us who worked closely on events associated with President Lee’s visit to Washington—April was a very rewarding month. After multiple protocol meetings, site…

The latest polling data from the Asan Institute for Public Policy includes the Institute's first results since Ahn Cheol-soo officially declared for the presidency. While Park Geun-hye has opened up a 10 point lead against Ahn and Moon Jae-in, she trails Ahn in a head-to-head race and is essentially tied with Moon.  

By Nick Miller The Korean Times reported on September 7th that Kim Jong-il’s sister, Kim Kyong-hui, was in ill health stemming from her past abuse of alcohol. Kim Kyong-hui serves as one of the guardians of Kim Jong-un along with her husband Jang Song-taek. After Kim Jong-il’s suffered a stroke in 2008 he had to…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz Initial KCNA and other reports about the September 25, 2012 Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) meeting indicate North Korea has made no public announcement on economic or agricultural reforms as anticipated by numerous press articles and North Korea watchers. Proclamations following the meeting emphasized changes to North Korea’s education system. Thus, those that…

Despite Ahn Cheol-soo formally entering the race for president, his poll numbers did not see a bounce in the first Asan Institute for Policy Studies poll out since his announcement on September 19. This week's addition of the Asan Institute poll includes additional data at the end related to how South Korean's view his candidacy.    …