Asia

This paper examines the concept of “derisking” and how the Japanese Economic Security Promotion Act (ESPA) has responded to it within the framework of deterrence theory. It explores how ESPA…

This paper explores how South Korea defines “economic security.” Amidst geopolitical turbulence, the framing of this concept by governments and policy circles around the globe is reflective of the changes…

This paper examines how Beijing views economic security as well as other countries’ actions in this realm. Economic security is not a new or foreign concept to Chinese thinkers and…

This paper argues that while North Korea does not discuss “economic security” in domestic contexts or have an established definition of the term, it thoroughly understands that the economy and…

In this episode we speak with Doug Goudie, Director of International Trade Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Mr. Goudie draws from his experiences to share his perspective…

In this episode we hear from Tami Overby, Vice President for Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. Ms.…

Now in its tenth year, KEI’s Opinion Leaders Seminar (OLS) is an annual gathering of some of the world’s foremost policymakers and scholars on the U.S.-South Korean alliance. In this…

An exclusive interview with Dr. Alon Levkowitz, author of the most recent edition of the Korea Economic Institute’s Academic Paper Series. His paper, titled “The Republic of Korea and the…

The summit between President Joe Biden and President Moon Jae-in on May 21 was a resounding success.  Substantively and symbolically they reaffirmed the important strategic and economic relationship between Seoul and Washington.  But at the same time, they carefully avoided the differences between the two on how to proceed in dealing with North Korea, particularly…

Despite the completion of the internal policy review and a successful summit, newly-appointed North Korea envoy Sung Kim faces many of the same constraints that have long plagued U.S. North Korea policy. The Biden administration has rightly acknowledged that any engagement implies “a calibrated, practical approach.” But there are simply not that many policy levers…

What Happened On April 1, Minjok Sarangbang, a small South Korean publishing company, printed copies of Kim Il Sung’s 1992 memoir, With the Century without the required government approval. The Ministry of Unification is investigating the situation, and South Korean retailers pulled the books from their shelves. Multiple conservative civic groups filed an injunction to prevent the sale of Kim’s memoir claiming it could endanger…

What Happened In March, the Biden administration encouraged Seoul to increase trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan. Biden’s first face-to-face meeting with an international leader occurred in April when Japanese Prime Minister Suga arrived in Washington. The U.S. president’s second in-person meeting with a world leader was with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on May 21. Implications: The White House…