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The Koreas

North Korea’s Strict COVID-19 Policies Undermine Kim Jong Un’s Goal of Ending Hunger
By Troy Stangarone
Dismal trade figures for 2021 attest to the toll the North’s border closures are taking on its food supply.

North Korea’s ‘Strategic Patience’
By Mitch Shin
Recent developments suggest North Korea is adopting its own version of “strategic patience”: ignoring diplomatic outreach until the situation turns in its favor.

Seoul: North Korea Defector Likely Made Rare Border Crossing
By Hyung-Jin Kim
The South Korean military said a person – now believed to be a North Korean who had defected in 2020 – crawled over a barbed-wire fence to cross into North Korea.

South Korea and US Agree on Draft End-of-War Declaration ‘In Principle’
By Mitch Shin
South Korea says it has agreed, in principle, with the U.S. on a draft end-of-war declaration, but North Korea has continued to refuse to participate.

K-pop Fandom’s Climate Change Rebellion
By Mai Anna Pressley
Socially conscious K-pop fans are demanding more from South Korean entertainment companies. Can this lead to meaningful adoption of environmental policies in the industry?

Impeached President Park, Jailed for Corruption, Pardoned by Moon
By Hyung-Jin Kim
Moon's liberal government said the pardon of his conservative predecessor is meant to promote national unity.

A Bipartisan Consensus on South Korea’s Foreign Policy?
By Hae Kyung Ahn
The foreign policy platforms of the two leading candidates in South Korea’s upcoming presidential election are more alike than they are different.

What South Korea Can Learn From India on Diplomatic Balancing
By Jong Eun Lee
India’s diplomacy with Russia and the U.S. holds lessons for Seoul’s China-U.S. balancing act.

Is South Korean Culture a Threat to North Korea?
By Seohee Kwak
The North Korean regime’s repression of South Korean culture reflects a logic that equates foreign culture with a threat to the regime’s stability.

Outlining the South Korean Presidential Candidates’ Technology Plans
By Sang Kim
The election results will determine South Korea's approach to cutting-edge technology like AI, Internet of Things, and the metaverse.

Challenging Moon’s Symbolic End-Of-War Declaration
By Sang-soo Lee and Love-Lis Liljeström
South Korea’s renewed push for an end-of-war declaration as a way to resume dialogue will be unsuccessful if not attached to practical steps for peace and denuclearization.

What Does Agreement ‘in Principle’ on an End-of-War Declaration Mean?
By Mitch Shin
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the U.S., China, and North Korea have agreed to officially end the Korean War “in principle,” but can he initiate the proposal?