Asia

This paper assesses the potential for South Korea to be a regional leader in advancing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, and supporting sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. Many…

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s New Southern Policy (NSP)—the most recent effort by Seoul to boost relations with Southeast Asian countries and India and diversify its relationships beyond four major…

This paper addresses the U.S.-South Korea alliance in the context of Asia’s evolving security architecture. At the crux of the issue is the Biden administration’s desire to uphold the rules-based…

This paper examines South Korea’s foreign policy towards China before, during, and after the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense dispute to investigate the limits of South Korea’s…

In this special episode of Korean Kontext, KEI's Juni Kim sat down with three North Korean defectors who have settled in South Korea. Each of them has a different story…

On May 10, former human rights lawyer Moon Jae-In officially became the next president of South Korea, filling an office that had been empty since former President Park Geun-Hye's impeachment…

The upcoming presidential election in Korea on May 9th will place many key issues under the microscope. One meriting serious consideration that has featured less prominently in the political discourse…

After the closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex last year, economic ties between North and South Korea have all but ceased. And as sanctions measures continue to tighten, the international…

Innovation has played a vital role in Korea’s rapid economic development. Initially led by the introduction of new technology from abroad, Korea has achieved sustained progress toward the global innovation frontier. Korea’s innovation inputs in terms of human capital and research spending are among the highest in the world. It also has the highest share…

Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been one of the defining geopolitical moments of the modern era—and while not as headline grabbing as its ramifications for Europe and the so-called ‘BRICS’ (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) agenda, its impact on the Korean Peninsula has been profound. Vladimir Putin’s war has significantly impacted…

This week, South Koreans will head to the polls to elect their legislative representatives. The National Assembly election is often seen as a barometer for the public's sentiment towards the sitting president and the ruling party. In 2020, the Democratic Party of Korea won an unusual landslide during a global pandemic, strengthening President Moon Jae-in’s…

The United States North Korea Human Rights Act was originally adopted by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush on October 18, 2004. The legislation called for appointment of a Special Envoy for North Korea Human Rights and gave directives for US government agencies to encourage human rights in the North. The legislation authorized…