 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The East Asia Institute does some of the best polling work in South Korea, and we recently asked them to share their data on public opinion on the provision of aid to North Korea. For those with an interest in the topic, we did two posts on another survey on the question last year (here [...]
South Korea’s foreign policy has long been defined in terms of the US-ROK alliance and the apparently intractable North Korea problem. One enduring legacy of the LMB administration is to break out of this box and to think in broader terms about Korea’s global role. The hosting of the G20, Korea’s assumption of the chairmanship [...]
Back in mid-September, Yonhap reported on a little-remarked insurance program that speaks volumes about the risky nature of North-South trade. Although easily understood in political economy terms, the program suggests how hard it is to put North-South relations on a commercial footing given the political stakes—and risks–involved. In the wake of the sinking of the [...]
October is parliamentary inspection season in South Korea, which means overtime for ministry officials as they scramble to provide answers to questions from National Assembly committees and members. An item in Yonhap (in Korean) reported on questions about Kaesong posed by members of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee; the answers from [...]
Below is Ambassador Robert King’s annual report to Congress mandated by the North Korean Human Rights Act. Interesting tidbits include discussion in section (c)(6) of the WEST (Work, English, Study, Travel) pilot program, which allows young North Korean refugees to study in the US, and details about meetings with DPRK officials (in section (c)(2)). The meetings in [...]
North Korea has been known for its counterfeiting activities for decades. Products ranging from cigarettes to liquor to $100 US bills have been known to make their way out of North Korea. Typically, the counterfeit industry is export oriented. Counterfeiting activities are intended to earn hard currency by smuggling items through China and other nations. [...]
Two days ago, Ahn Cheol-soo called a hastily-convened press conference to announce that he would bow out in favor of DUP candidate Moon Jae-in. The drama of dueling liberal candidates recalled the infamous failure of Kim Dae Jung and Kim Young Sam to agree on a single candidacy in 1987 and the more successful merger [...]
We have been following the flap over the NLL in South Korean politics. Prof. Moon Chung-in, at Yonsei University, attended the 2007 summit with President Roh and was deeply involved in crafting the proposal for a joint fishing zone as a confidence-building measure. He sent us a long email, and a link to his interview [...]
Korea has been popping up in the Petraeus scandal—before she turned all astronaut-lady-wearing-diapers-to-drive-cross-country-to-go-after-her-rival, Paula Broadwell was stationed in Korea; Jill Kelley, the Michaele Salahi of Tampa Bay, the other other-woman, claimed to be Korea’s honorary consul general in Tampa, infamously demanded diplomatic protection to get the paparazzi off her lawn, and even more hysterically tried [...]
After shamelessly linking the blog to events in Syria (here and here) and Gaza, et tu Petraeus? Sadly, yes; you simply cannot make this stuff up. First is the fact that Jill Kelley was—still is?–an honorary South Korean consul. This is a title the government passes out with some liberality to friends interested in angling [...]
