Economics

With relations between Korea and Japan improving over the last year the leaders of the United States, Korea, and Japan met in Washington on August 18 to discuss a common…

On May 1, 2023, KEI hosted a conversation between Ambassador Marc Knapper and Ambassador (ret.) Kathleen Stephens on potential new and expanded areas of trilateral cooperation between the United States,…

30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, people’s aspiration to establish a pluralistic liberal democracy appears to be under scrutiny around the world – anti-immigration policies dominate political…

Strategically located at the crossroads of Central Asia, China, and Russia, Mongolia has long attracted the attention of regional powers – including the Koreas. How is this traditionally-nomadic, but resource-rich,…

On July 7, President Donald Trump effectively delayed the 25-percent reciprocal tariffs against South Korea to August 1. The extension grants more time to reach an agreement but does not alleviate the need for a trade deal to achieve certainty and lower tariffs. Section 232 tariffs have remained in force during the pause of reciprocal…

President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4 after a series of close-call votes in both the House and the Senate, including a tie-breaking vote by Vice President JD Vance. Outlining the United States’ fiscal and budget policies for Trump’s second term, it includes termination of subsidies…

U.S. and South Korean companies continued to plow ahead and forge partnerships across several domains in Q2 despite uncertainty surrounding bilateral trade relations and policy. Bolstered by partnerships in technology, shipbuilding, clean energy, and artificial intelligence, new projects include Korean firms constructing U.S. containerships as well as unmanned surface vehicle (USV) development, providing greater support…

New South Korean President Lee Jae-myung takes office at a time of serious economic challenges in South Korea. Real GDP fell by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, with private consumption, fixed investment and exports all reporting declines. The political crisis triggered by Yoon Suk Yeol and his martial law declaration late last…

As disruptions in supply chains continue, what practical steps can the U.S. and Korea take to strengthen supply chains against future crises?