Asia

The Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign has led to the imposition of a nearly comprehensive international sanctions regime targeting North Korea and its nuclear weapons program. With negotiations underway, the…

This paper examines the impacts of global competition in solar panel production and the conflict of domestic interests among solar-related industries in the U.S. on South Korea’s solar-focused renewable energy…

Kim Jong-un’s sudden ascent as leader came at a significant time for North Korea—a year that had coincidentally been long foreshadowed in state media as the “dawn of the strong…

What can the resettlement of North Korean defector-migrants into South Korean society today tell us about Korean national identity and the likely challenges of integrating the two Koreas tomorrow? In…

With Washington DC stuck in a snowstorm, please enjoy this episode of Korean Kontext originally published in 2012.   B.R. Myers is the author of “The Cleanest Race” and regular…

Every January, KEI publishes its predictions for the 10 issues to watch for on the Korean Peninsula in the coming year. Then, in December, we revisit our predictions to see…

North Korea watchers have been trying for years to understand the inner workings of the reclusive regime. With the country launching its 4th nuclear test this week, recognizing the structure and…

Every year on January 13, the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) sponsors a luncheon in Washington, DC to mark Korean American Day and recognize the local and national Korean…

By Chad 0'Carroll As the economic crisis continues to lead governments into austerity programs worldwide, South Korea is preparing to sign off on defense contracts totaling over $12 billion this year.  The biggest allocation of the budget is being reserved for the purchases of some $7.2 billion worth of next generation fighter jets, representing the…

Ben Hancock: 김연정과의 인터뷰 1. 김연정 선생님: 대학교 때 우연히 외국인에게 한국어를 가르쳤던 적이 있었는데 그 때 다른 문화와 언어를 사용하는 사람에게 우리 말과 글을 가르치는 것에 재미를 느껴서 막연히 이 일을 직업으로 하면 좋겠다고 생각했습니다. 하지만 제가 일을 시작할 당시에는 한국어를 가르치는 기관이 대학교 어학당을 제외하면 거의 없어서 일을 찾는 것이 생각보다 쉽지 않아서…

By Chad 0'Carroll Last week the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a report which put Eritrea as the world’s leading censor of the media.  Eritrea sat on top of a list of ten countries which CPJ said had “dictatorial controls” on domestic media, followed closely by North Korea, Syria and Iran.  North Korea, which…

By Sarah K. Yun Since his inauguration in 2008, President Lee Myung-bak has promoted a “Global Korea” policy for Korea to be a more active and responsible member of the international community. However, with the upcoming presidential election and potential pendulum swing in South Korea’s leadership, what is the future of Korea’s growing global leadership…