Asia

After the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) is approved by the legislatures of Korea and the United States, it will likely provide a turning point for the countries’ bilateral…

The denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues to be a source of considerable international concern. Yet, no coherent international framework has emerged to deal with this…

Korea is arguably the premier development success story of the last half century. Despite this success, there has been a nagging sense among many observers that the development of Korea’s…

The unique restriction of a one-time, five-year presidential term in the Republic of Korea (ROK) has often resulted in short-lived changes to the way the nation’s chief executive has staffed…

This episode, Korean Kontext speaks to Phillipe Cousteau JR, chief spokesperson for the USA Pavillion at the 2012 Yeosu Exposition.  With the overall theme of the expo named “The Living…

Our latest edition of Korean Kontext focuses on the recent death of Kim Jong-il and the prospects for North Korea under the stewardship of his son, Kim Jong-un.  In this…

Ever wondered why someone might be motivated to spend their summer vacation  in the DPRK, or interested to learn about the guides that accompany visitors during a stay in North…

In this episode, Chad 0Carroll speaks with “TK” (”The Korean”), the man behind the must-read blog, “Ask a Korean”.  TK has been running his blog for five years and it…

By Kyle Ferrier After North Korea’s second “satellite launch” in February this year I looked at how North Korean provocations have impacted the South Korean economy over time through the KOSPI index and the won/dollar exchange rate. The findings suggested financial markets in Seoul have not necessarily become accustomed to  provocations, as judged by a…

By Jenna Gibson With South Korea’s low birth rate on the mind of scholars and policymakers, the country’s schools have found themselves on the front lines of the country’s demographic crisis. Enrollment in elementary schools around the country in 2015 was 2,672,843. In 2000, that number was 33 percent higher, at 4,020,141. And as the…

By Troy Stangarone One question confronting the United States, South Korea, and the rest of the international community is how to convince North Korea to return to denuclearization talks. Having tried varying degrees of dialogue, negotiations, and sanctions, the options available entail a refinement of the current sanctions approach, the acceptance of North Korea as…

By Troy Stangarone North Korea has conducted its fifth nuclear test, the second test in less than a year. In combination with its efforts to advance its ballistic missile programs and develop second strike capabilities, Pyongyang has demonstrated that it is committed to developing a usable nuclear warhead in spite of international pressure to halt…