Energy

South Korea’s nuclear energy industry has for decades been facilitated through close cooperation with counterparts in the United States under what is known as a “123 Agreement”.  Today South Korea’s…

Preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons has emerged to be one of the key foreign policy priorities of the Obama administration. Despite efforts among Western powers to form a united…

On January 9, 2025, the United States and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on principles of nuclear export and cooperation that could unlock new dimensions of the partnership and tens of billions of dollars in profit for construction and nuclear industries in both countries. In addition to its clear economic implications, the deal allows…

This policy brief offers a concise summary and set of recommendations from a longer paper, featured in the Fall/Winter issue of KEI’s flagship journal Korea Policy. The full paper can be found here and the entire Korea Policy issue here. Executive Summary The United States and South Korea are close allies, committed to reducing greenhouse…

On July 18, South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Ahn Duk-geun announced that Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) had been selected by the Czech Republic as the preferred bidder for the construction of new nuclear reactors, the largest investment project in the history of the Czech Republic, valued at approximately 24 trillion…

The recent crisis in the Middle East raises questions about the impact it may have on energy access for the world. Faith Birol, the current head of the International Energy Agency, said that the Israel-Hamas war is “definitely not good news” for oil prices. Similarly, on October 30 the World Bank warned that oil prices…

Please join KEI for a conversation with Markus Garlauskas and Axel Catellier on the factors driving South Korea’s recent military force development.

Please join KEI and KIEP for a discussion about the first 10 years of KORUS and the future of the U.S.-Korea economic relationship.

Please join KEI for a discussion with three emerging experts on how South Korea can adopt a principled middle power agenda.

Please join KEI for a discussion with Seoul National University Professor Chung Jae Ho on why the ROK-PRC relationship faces such headwinds and its implications for the ongoing U.S.-China competition.

Please join KEI for a conversation Mr. Kim Won-soo on the historical importance of two countries joining the UN, South Korea’s contribution to multilateral institutions, and the role of the UN in diplomacy with North Korea.