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The Koreas
US-South Korea-Japan Strengthen Joint Commitment in Face of Possible 7th North Korean Nuclear Test
By Mitch Shin
The national security advisors from the three countries met in Honolulu this week to discuss a coordinated response to the growing North Korean threat.
Don’t Mistake South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol for a China Hawk
By Joel Atkinson
On 3 big issues – THAAD missile defense, Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and South Korea, and the Chip 4 semiconductor initiative – Yoon has been careful not to anger Beijing.
South Korea Signs $2.25 Billion Deal With Russian Nuclear Company
By Kim Tong-hyung
Seoul won a contract with a Russian state-run nuclear energy company to construct part of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant.
South Korea, US Return to Large-Scale Military Drills
By Troy Stangarone
The resumption of large-scale drills for the first time since 2017 will improve military readiness for the alliance.
North Korea Trashes Yoon’s ‘Audacious Initiative’ for Denuclearization
By Mitch Shin
Calling Seoul’s offer “an absurd dream,” Kim Yo Jong derided the South Korean president with North Korean-style insults.
Kim Jong Un’s Changing Public Persona
By Emma Nymoen
COVID-19 has given Kim a unique opportunity to shift his public persona from that of a military leader into more of a father figure – even as he imposes stricter policies than ever.
North Korea Fires 2 Cruise Missiles Toward Yellow Sea
By Mitch Shin
On South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s 100th day in office, North Korea test-fired its two cruise missiles.
Is South Korea’s President Yoon Really ‘Tough on China’?
By Jae Chang
Despite President Yoon Suk-yeol’s campaign promises, his actions show that South Korea’s foreign policy still operates within Chinese constraints.
South Korea’s President Offers ‘Audacious Initiative’ for North Korea’s Denuclearization
By Mitch Shin
Amid the stalled nuclear and inter-Korean dialogue, President Yoon Suk-yeol again repeated his pledge of economic rewards for denuclearization.
Kim Yo Jong Targets South Korean Leaflets as Root Cause of North’s COVID-19 Pandemic
By Mitch Shin
With Kim Jong Un’s declaration of victory over the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim Yo Jong warned of “deadly retaliatory” countermeasures against leaflets sent from South Korea.
Unprecedented Rainstorm Exposes South Korea’s Blind Spots
By Hayoung Seo
The extreme flooding in Seoul highlighted South Korea’s lack of preparation for natural disasters – or climate change in general.
North Korea: Repeated Reshuffling at the Top
By ISOZAKI Atsuhito
Changes in key personnel continue to occur at a rapid pace.