Asia

Korea is pursuing a bold strategy in an effort to achieve a paradigm shift that results in a fair economy. Some of its major initiatives – notably sharp increases in…

The experts in this volume have thoughtfully addressed themes that are pervasive throughout Asia and are timely for the U.S.-Korea alliance. Kim Jong-un’s turn to diplomacy in 2018 put the…

The triangle of Beijing-Moscow-Pyongyang has great significance for the geopolitics of not only Northeast Asia, but the globe. It played a critical role in the 1950 launching of the Korean…

This examination of the relations among these four governments assesses the ever-closer China-Russia relationship featuring stronger strategic alignment against the United States and its interests in many parts of the…

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…

Korea’s real GDP grew 6.6% (seasonally-adjusted annual rate) in the first quarter of 2021, bringing it back to its pre-pandemic peak level (Figure 1). The May OECD Economic Outlook projects that it will increase 3.8% in 2021, significantly faster than its March outlook of 3.3%. The new projection is consistent with forecasts by the Bank…

What Happened On May 13, the South Korean government announced it will provide tax incentives and subsidies to encourage growth and investment in the domestic chip market. On May 25, the government announced additional plans to provide financial incentives and support to domestic makers of automotive chips and other key car components. The government also sent requests to foreign automotive chip…

Despite differences in political ideology, South Korea’s relationship with Vietnam has deepened and evolved since formal diplomatic relations were established in 1992. Trade and economic investment have grown substantially, and the two countries have upgraded their bilateral relationship from a “dialogue partnership” to a “strategic partnership.” Next year’s 30th anniversary of South Korea’s diplomatic relations…

At the end of May, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea held his first in-person meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House. The joint statement released by the U.S. indicates that the leaders discussed a wide range of areas to deepen cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea, from climate change and COVID-19,…