Blog
The Koreas
North Korea Ramps up Arms Sales to Russia, Iran, Syria, and Others
By Seulkee Jang
Pyongyang is selling older weapons in its existing stocks to overseas customers as it replaces the Korean People’s Army’s stockpiles with new weapons.
Camp David Marked a ‘New Era’ in Japan-Korea-US Relations. Can It Endure?
By Troy Stangarone
Long-term institutionalization of trilateral cooperation can only truly take root after it has survived political transitions in the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
North Korea is Preparing for a New Round of Weapons Tests, South Korean Spy Agency Says
By Hyung-jin Kim
The National Intelligence Services aid it has detected unusually heavy activities at a North Korean facility that produces solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles and at another site related to liquid-fueled ICBMs.
North Korea Asserts US Soldier Travis King Crossed Border After Becoming Disillusioned With America
By Hyung-jin Kim
North Korea may be reluctant to hold a low-ranked solider like King for long because he won't provide it with high-profile U.S. intelligence.
South Korean Teachers Are Demanding Their Rights
By Eunwoo Lee
South Korea’s public education system is floundering amid abuse of teachers by parents and students.
36,000 Young Scouts to Evacuate World Jamboree in South Korea as Storm Khanun Looms
By Kim Tong-hyung
A week after intense heat caused hundreds to fall ill, the World Scout Jamboree faces another setback: a typhoon strike.
China Holds the Key to Halting North Korea’s 7th Nuke Test
By Min-yong Lee
North Korean workers abroad provide a crucial source of funding for the regime's nuclear program – most prominently from China.
Rival Koreas Mark Armistice Anniversary in Two Different Ways That Highlight Rising Tensions
By Kim Tong-hyung
North Korea has invited delegations from China and Russia to attend festivities in Pyongyang; meanwhile, the mood is more somber in South Korea.
Propaganda Tool? Bargaining Chip? What North Korea May Have in Mind for Travis King
By Kim Tong-hyung
“When an American goes into North Korea, they usually are used for political purposes, regardless of whether they want it or not.”
South Korea’s Deepening Political Divide Is Mapping Onto Its Foreign Policy
By Jinwan Park
South Korea’s political parties have taken divergent stances on how Seoul should position itself amid intensifying China-U.S. rivalry
South Korea Searches for Missing People as Death Toll From Downpours Reaches 41
By Associated Press
Torrential rains since July 9 have caused landslides and flooding, killing at least 41 people and displacing over 12,700.
American Detained After Crossing Into North Korea Without Authorization
By Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-hyung
An American has reportedly crossed the border into the North without authorization, but further details about why or how are not yet available.
North Korea’s Ambassador Blames US for Regional Tensions in Rare UN Security Council Appearance
By Edith M. Lederer
Amb. Kim Song defended North Korea’s recent long-range missile test-flight as a legitimate exercise of the North's right to self-defense.
South Korea’s Yoon Pushes for Strong Resolve Against North’s Nuclear Ambitions at NATO Summit
By Hyung-jin Kim
Yoon Suk-yeol will attend the annual NATO summit being held this year in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12 as part of a two-nation trip that includes a stop in Poland.
South Korea Endorses Japan’s Plan to Release Fukushima Wastewater, But Citizens’ Fears Persist
By Kim Tong-hyung
South Korean government officials and scientists insist that contamination levels would be within acceptable safety standards. The public isn’t convinced.
Baby Boomers’ Retirement Will Remake South Korea
By Eunwoo Lee
The demographic shift will stir fundamental changes in the country’s landscape and environment.
North Korea Is Desperately Seeking Foreign Currency to Fund Its Military
By Seulkee Jang
A consulate in China ordered trade officials to identify collaborators who can send or launder money, even if they cannot directly invest in North Korea.
Thousands of North Koreans March in Anti-US Rallies as Country Marks Korean War Anniversary
By Kim Tong-hyung
More than 120,000 North Koreans marched in mass rallies over the weekend, pledging “merciless” revenge against “U.S. imperialists.”
Where Does Japan Fit Into South Korea’s New Indo-Pacific Strategy?
By Shu Fukuya
Establishing a strategic relationship has become an urgent task to address threats to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region, but significant obstacles remain.
‘Dollarization’ of North Korean Economy, Once Vital, Now Potential Threat to Kim’s Rule
By Hyung-jin Kim
Defectors say an attempt to end use of U.S. dollars and Chinese yuan would likely just cause chaos.
South Korea’s Healthcare Sector Is Heading Toward a Crisis
By Eunwoo Lee
Reform efforts have put the government at loggerheads with physicians, who are reluctant to let go of their privileges.
The Apparent Rise of Kim Jong Un’s Daughter
By ISOZAKI Atsuhito
And the fading prominence of his sister Kim Yo Jong.
China’s Ban of Micron Puts South Korea in the Worst of Both Worlds
By Troy Stangarone
South Korean firms are China’s main alternatives to Micron, dragging Seoul farther into the China-U.S. semiconductor dispute.
The Hidden History of Korean Labor Migrants in Germany
By Tim Hildebrandt
The past struggles of Korean migrant workers in Germany offer lessons for South Korea today as it grapples with labor migration and the need to treat foreign workers fairly.