Asia

This paper argues that the impact of Hallyu (the Korean Wave) on the Korean economy has only been effective in boosting related sectors, such as cosmetics, fashion, and tourism. Interestingly,…

This paper proposes a framework for conceptualizing middle powerism in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, using South Korea as an example. The paper argues that the systemic transformation…

In the context of growing US-China tensions, South Korean administrations have opted for degrees of strategic ambiguity, refraining from overt actions that suggest South Korea is taking sides. While strategic…

KEI’s 2021 Report on American Attitudes Toward the Korean Peninsula summarizes results from a survey commissioned by KEI and conducted by YouGov on August 30th to September 7th, 2021. The…

  In this episode, we talk with Dr. Adam Cathcart of the University of Leeds and of Sino-NK about China-North Korea relations. Dr. Cathcart has just written an Academic Paper Series report…

      President Obama wasn’t the only leader who had to make important visits to multiple Asian countries this past April. Australia’s Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, had to make an important…

  The Francis Effect is everywhere. Time Magazine named Pope Francis their 2013 Person of the Year, another magazine dedicated specifically to covering Pope Francis has been started in Italy,…

Public opinion can help to both shape and inform public policy. A president with strong approval numbers across ideological divides has significant scope to make policy decisions. While a national…

At the end of last week, the United States announced that President Joe Biden will host South Korean President Moon Jae-in for in-person meetings in Washington on May 21.  The statement from the White House Spokesperson said the visit “will highlight the ironclad alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, and the…

What Happened The South Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced plans to make it easier for a child to take either parent's surname at birth, alongside other changes. The announcement also included plans to conduct a public opinion survey on the ethics of having a baby through surrogacy and donating eggs and sperm to unmarried…

Korea has long worked to maintain at least cordial relationships that balance its larger neighbors. The global U.S.-China competition is the newest iteration of the challenge, with Seoul’s most important ally on one side and its largest trading partner on the other. Although domestic sentiment is souring on China, experts suggest South Korean government officials…

Nearly a year ago, President Moon Jae-in’s approval ratings were soaring on the strength of the South Korean government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, with some polls showing public approval above 70 percent. His party, the liberal Democratic Party, had also won a supermajority in the South Korea’s legislative body in April 2020. At the…