Asia

Defense industrial cooperation between the United States and South Korea is deeply rooted in the bilateral security alliance and has evolved over time. The United States has prioritized allied cooperation…

On September 15, 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced the formation of AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership intended to support Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. A…

KEI’s 2024 Report on American Attitudes Toward the Korean Peninsula summarizes results from a survey commissioned by KEI and conducted by YouGov from September 3rd to September 10th, 2024. The…

In March, a curious protest took place in Seoul. Private kindergartens were going on strike. Protests by industry groups or workers are not uncommon in South Korea, but something about…

North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song demanded that the United States release a North Korean vessel that is currently held by authorities in American Samoa, warning that…

It’s been nearly one year since the Singapore Summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-un and the two countries are at an impasse. North Korea signals no intention of giving…

What if our understanding of North Korea is inadvertently colored by the very resources that we rely on to deepen our knowledge of the country? What does this say about our policies…

What Happened On June 1, the Ministry of Justice announced a revision to the Nationality Act that will make it easier for the children of permanent residents to receive South Korean citizenship. The new policy sparked a backlash from those who believe the policy favors Chinese residents living in South Korea, as 95% of those who would benefit from…

What Happened Lee Jun Seok is emerging as the leading candidate in the race for the chairmanship of the main opposition party. Lee has been openly critical of the Moon Jae-in administration’s efforts to have a gender quota in his cabinet appointments. The ruling Democratic Party’s candidates were soundly defeated in recent mayoral elections in Seoul and Busan, largely…

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…