Asia

Digitalization could open a new era of growth for Korea. Previous expansion waves, based on traditional industries, have fostered export-led growth and placed Korea among the world’s top ten economies.…

After an initial surge in cases, Korea was less seriously affected by the COVID-19 virus than other countries, but the subsequent recovery was relatively mild. The negative effect was concentrated…

This paper deals with one of the most critical issues in contemporary international relations: how China’s rise challenges foreign policies of U.S. allies, with a focus on the Republic of…

The rivalry between the United States and China is affecting countries in its midst. This particularly applies to South Korea. The country is a strong economic player with a successful…

In this episode of Korean Kontext, I have the opportunity to speak with Richard V. Allen, who, in the weeks preceding his official instatement as National Security Advisor to President-elect…

In this episode we hear from author Mike Kim, who speaks with Korean Kontext about his experiences living and working with North Korean refugees on the China-North Korea border. Mike…

We bring the Korean Kontext studio to the U.S. Department of State to speak with Kathleen Stephens, current U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. Ambassador Stephens shares with us her personal…

In this episode we speak with Ambassador John Everard, who served as Ambassador of Great Britain to North Korea from 2006-2008. Ambassador Everard experienced firsthand life as one of only…

By Mark Tokola Five years of relatively good harvests have pushed the issue of malnutrition in North Korea down the list of international concerns. Reports of visible improvements in Pyongyang (but much less in the countryside), nuclear and missile testing, cyber-attacks, and Kim Jong-un’s public appearances have dominated recent media coverage and have caused memories…

By Jiwon Nam Central Asia is a region that borders China and Russia to the Northeast and the Middle East to the West. The region generally consists of five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Although Central Asia is not a major economic and diplomatic partner for South Korea, the countries of Central Asia…

By Jenna Gibson While millennials around the world have generally optimistic views of their future, Korean youth are more cynical. A new survey of millennials by Manpower Group found that around the world, two thirds are optimistic about their job prospects, and 62 percent feel that if they lost their job they could find a…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz In May, much of the attention toward the Korean peninsula was drawn toward the northern part as North Korea held its first Party Congress in thirty-six years. While looking for possible changes to emerge from the Kim Jong-un regime, the stalemate in inter-Korean relations continues. North Korea did offer talks, but South…