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…

North Korea is putting on a tough face as the world confronts the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities in Pyongyang continue to reassure the rest of the world that nothing is wrong…

Looking back on the Korean War, one might assume that the outbreak of a violent conflict that killed millions of people would preclude the possibility of a peaceful resolution of…

It would not be an exaggeration to claim that the Korean War shaped world history. There had been bloodshed elsewhere that bookmarked the start of the bitter conflict between the…

The international force that answered the United Nation’s call to defend the Republic of Korea between 1950 and 1953 did more than engage in combat with North Korean and Chinese…

What Happened Until December 2020, Korea maintained a singular publicly mandated digital authentication system for accessing online services. Surveys showed that this protocol was unpopular among users. In December 2020, the government began allowing online vendors to use authentication systems of their choosing. However, the change has caused confusion as many people are now unable to access online services using verification…

A few months ago, the New York Times reported that North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong-un, had called K-pop a ‘vicious cancer.’ Rather than see this pronouncement as an exceptional step taken by a totalitarian regime, one can think of this as yet another expression of an ongoing struggle to control information entering North Korea. In…

In a previous issue of Korea View, KEI called attention to the growing popularity of cultural products in South Korea that explore difficult societal issues. In addition to the movie Parasite, recent examples of this trend include the TV show Taxi Driver (모범택시; not to be confused with the 2017 movie) which focuses on a group of…

What Happened New e-commerce start-ups are growing fast in areas such as fashion, online payments, ride-hailing, delivery, and biotechnology. In 2020, South Korea’s e-commerce market ranked 5th worldwide. Sales are expected to grow 9% to $120.56 billion in 2021. South Korea has 10 startup companies valued at over $1 billion making it the third-largest hub for such firms in the…