Foreign Relations

On 21 June 2005 the flag of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam flew outside of Blair House, across the street from the White House. Standing still on a windless day,…

The past decade in the Korea-U.S. alliance relationship has not been smooth. Since the late 1990s, Koreans have been raising issues related to the past or current actions of the…

As the reigning consensus has it, the U.S.-ROK alliance is one of the most successful of its kind in history. The alliance not only succeeded in defending South Korea from…

The year 2006 witnessed increasing concern among both Americans and South Koreans that their alliance of more than 50 years might be in jeopardy. Differences between the two governments over…

By Troy Stangarone In his remarks before Congress, President Lee Myung-bak pledged to help Libya through its transition saying “We will take part in the international effort in bringing democracy to Libya and rebuilding its shattered economy.”  While Korea’s efforts in helping Libya are laudable, Korea may also be in a position to help utilize…

By Sarah K. Yun Although Korea established diplomatic relations with many African countries in the early 1960s, it was not until recently that these relations were aggressively nurtured.  In the last decade or so, South Korea has actively worked to enhance relations with Africa, seeing the continent as a “fresh engine” for Korea’s growth.  During…

By Sarah K. Yun During the Joint Session of Congress on October 13, President Lee Myung-bak told the epic tale of Korea’s journey from war to peace, and poverty to prosperity; a tale in which he has very much shared in his own personal life. While thanking Congress for the ratification of the KORUS FTA,…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz Much of the focus this week has been on the enduring U.S.-ROK relationship and how these countries envision a future Asia as South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrives in Washington for a state visit. However, beyond the U.S.-South Korea alliance, Korea’s emerging relationship with India can also be an important aspect in…