Asia

Digitalization could open a new era of growth for Korea. Previous expansion waves, based on traditional industries, have fostered export-led growth and placed Korea among the world’s top ten economies.…

After an initial surge in cases, Korea was less seriously affected by the COVID-19 virus than other countries, but the subsequent recovery was relatively mild. The negative effect was concentrated…

This paper deals with one of the most critical issues in contemporary international relations: how China’s rise challenges foreign policies of U.S. allies, with a focus on the Republic of…

The rivalry between the United States and China is affecting countries in its midst. This particularly applies to South Korea. The country is a strong economic player with a successful…

This week, we delve into how Japan views the security threat from China, and how these perceptions shape Japanese policy. For this, we turn to security expert Dr. Narushige Michishita.…

Last week, North Korea launched its Seventh Worker's Party Congress, a major meeting of regime leaders that has not been convened in 36 years. Although analysts had high expectations for…

In this episode, we take a step back from the Korean Peninsula and take a look at Northeast Asia from the perspective of one of its neighbors – Russia. In…

On May 1, South Korean President Park Geun-hye will travel to Tehran, Iran for a summit meeting with her counterpart, President Hassan Rouhani. This visit will be the first time a…

What Happened As vaccines begin wider distribution in Korea, the digitally literate youth are at a significant advantage in finding appointments over the elderly who are at a greater risk of infection. Police reported that social media users admitted to using tools like automated keystroke sequences to increase their chances of finding vaccine appointments. Vaccine scarcity and the zeal of…

As a result of more South Koreans choosing to stay at home since the start of the pandemic, Netflix saw its subscribers soar in the country. This rise in demand has prompted the streaming giant to invest USD 500 million in creating new Korean content and cement its position as a leader in the Korean streaming market.…

What Happened Lawmakers have proposed two new bills to ban the discrimination of individuals based on gender, ethnicity, age, and other identities. A petition calling for the bill to be brought to the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee has gained traction, receiving over 100,000 signatures within 30 days. Even with overwhelming support from the public, anti-discrimination laws have…

What Happened South Korea plans to resume in-person classes for all students in the fall. Ahead of this full reopening, the government expanded the maximum in-person attendance for middle school students in the Seoul metropolitan area in mid-June. This decision comes on the heels of a new study that showed declining academic achievement levels among some middle school students. Implications: The…