Asia

China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have experienced periods of conflict and cooperation since officially forging “partnership” relations in 1998. From a historical perspective, Korea was among the most…

South Korean views of Japan are neither uniform nor unified. Considering that national strategic identities are competing even within a single country, it is not strange at all that South…

While the sources of contention are deep and enduring, relations between Japan and South Korea have been especially troubled in the last few years. The two countries are grappling with…

American ideals coupled with the commercial self-interest of American business and industry drove the policy of engagement, and even after the 1989 massacre of student protesters at Tiananmen Square, sustained…

This interview originally aired in 2014.  With the retirement by Yi So-yeon, South Korea’s remaining astronaut, many have turned attention to Korea, wondering whether there is a future for its…

In this episode, we spoke with Kevin O'Donnell, who, after decades on a private sector career path, became the first-ever Peace Corps country director for South Korea, followed by a…

As North Korea's largest trading partner and political ally, China is a crucial factor in any potential solution to curb North Korea's weapons programs. President Trump expressed hope earlier this year…

In December 1950, while fighting the advancing Chinese army and bitter Korean winter, Colonel Edward Forney and other American and Korean officers managed to evacuate all troops as well as…

What Happened On April 20th, the National Assembly ratified three of the remaining four International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions that South Korea has not yet implemented. Moves to ratify the conventions were proposed in 2019, but progress was not made, as many conservative politicians and businesses opposed the changes. Despite ratifying these conventions, South Korea has not adopted the provision on…

What Happened On April 19, the South Korean government launched a committee to monitor real estate issues and create new policy suggestions. The creation of the committee follows the ruling party’s defeat in the Seoul and Busan mayoral elections, which many partially attribute to the Moon administration’s inability to control property prices. Rising real estate prices are contributing to increased…

Consequent on the UN sanctions that severely restricted essential exports for agriculture to North Korea, starvation conditions have re-emerged for the first time since the famine years of the 1990s. Absent capital and technology, the government relies almost completely on the intensified exploitation of the labor force, much of this carried out via the mechanisms…

What Happened On April 12, President Biden met with 19 CEOs to discuss the ongoing semiconductor shortage and to build support for technology as a key component of the infrastructure. The White House promised a USD 50 billion investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, seeking cooperation from global partners. During a similar summit in March, Biden discussed putting technology, such as semiconductors…