Asia

This paper provides an analytical assessment of the implications for North and South Korea of recent changes in the Chinese-Russian and U.S.-Japanese security relationships.The evolution of these two security relationships…

During the past few years, the United States has begun three important initiatives that alter its defense commitment to South Korea (Republic of Korea [ROK]). First, Washington started to decrease…

In October 2006, Kim Jong-il’s North Korea again seized international attention. With its claimed underground nuclear test, Pyongyang upped the ante in its confrontation with the United States and the…

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 Criticizing the U.S.-ROK joint military exercises, Kim Jong-un’s sister threatened to withdraw from a 2018 agreement to reduce the military presence along the DMZ. The ROK Ministry of Unification noted that military drills should not be used to heighten tensions. The comments came just as the U.S. Secretaries of State and Defense arrived in…

‘It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works, for the specific purpose of denying them for their sustenance value to the civilian population or…

What Happened Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl stepped down on March 4 to protest the passage of a series of bills that limit prosecutor's investigative power. After opposing the Democratic Party(DP)-backed decision, Yoon's popularity rose in a poll of prospective candidates for the 2022 presidential election, though he has not announced his candidacy. Similarly, polls show Seoul residents favoring the opposing PPP…

What Happened The Moon administration released a statement on March 9 explaining that it may join the U.S.-led Quad+ alliance in the Indo-Pacific in an effort to gain U.S. support on North Korea policy. On March 8, the United States and South Korea reached an agreement for the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations on cost-sharing for U.S.…