Jul 03,2017 Open Forum

Washington Insights (Vol. 5, No. 3)

In May and June, challenges mounted for observers of foreign relations in the Asia-Pacific region. Donald Trump kept throwing US policy into question. Clashing views of the Belt and Road forum left some anticipating Chinese leadership in regionalism and globalism, while others saw the forum as making little concrete progress. If the options for Japan […]

Editorial Staff
BRI , Donald Trump , G2 , TPP , US-Japan alliance , US-ROK alliance
Introduction
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

Introduction

Amid increasing uncertainties in Sino-US relations and Japan-South Korea relations, the late spring of 2017 prioritized US-ROK relations. After Moon Jae-in was elected as president, Seoul-watchers followed closely his policy and personnel decisions. In particular, they focused on their implications for US-ROK relations, as Moon awaits his first summit with Donald Trump, whose policies toward […]

Editorial Staff
comfort women , Donald Trump , FTA , Moon Jae-in , Moon-Trump summit , Sunshine Policy , THAAD , Xi Jinping
The ROK-US Summit: Divide in the South Korean Media
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

The ROK-US Summit: Divide in the South Korean Media

As the summit between newly elected Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump draws closer, South Korean newspapers are sharply divided over Moon’s policy posture, its potential impact on relations with the United States and China, as well as the prospects of revising Seoul’s approach to North Korea, which may be at odds with the US approach. […]

Editorial Staff
America First , Donald Trump , Moon Jae-in , Otto Warmbier , Sunshine Policy , THAAD
Synopsis: What Next? South Korean Politics, Policy, North Korea, and the US Alliance
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

Synopsis: What Next? South Korean Politics, Policy, North Korea, and the US Alliance

In exploring South Korea’s transformation under Moon Jae-in, the discussions in Washington DC two weeks after Moon took office provide a useful starting point. Koreans and Americans exchanged thoughts and raised doubts on the prospects of ROK-US relations. Naturally, a major element was the effort by Koreans to report on recent developments and clarify uncertainties […]

Editorial Staff
Donald Trump , KORUS FTA , Moon Jae-in , Moon-Trump summit , OPCON , THAAD
May 29,2017 Country Reports

Country Report: South Korea (May 2017)

Park Geun-hye was removed from office on March 10 as the Constitutional Court endorsed the parliament’s impeachment, a first in its history. While there was only an acting president in the country, concerns over “Korea Passing” mounted. There were fears that the five-month-long vacancy in top-level diplomacy in South Korea would accelerate its diplomatic isolation. […]

Editorial Staff
comfort women , Economic sanctions , Korea Passing , KORUS FTA , Moon Jae-in , THAAD , Trump-Xi Summit
May 02,2017 Open Forum

Alliance Trilateralism at a Crossroads

South Korea is facing a nightmarish international environment, wholly unexpected as recently as 2015. Then the country was riding high in its foreign policy agenda: trustpolitik leading to a bonanza, “honeymoon” with Xi Jinping, best relations ever with the United States, a “comfort women” agreement with Japan, and, ahead, the Northeast Asian Peace and Cooperation […]

Editorial Staff
comfort women , Kaesong Industrial Complex , KORUS FTA , Moon Jae-in , Park Geun-hye , Sunshine Policy , THAAD , Trustpolitik
May 01,2017 Open Forum

Washington Insights (Vol. 5, No. 2)

This has been a busy time in Washington with little clarity about US policies, as the Trump administration takes shape, Sino-US relations take center stage, and North Korea’s threat to the United States galvanizes responses reflecting views in many countries. In late April—after the Trump-Xi summit, Pence’s trip to the region, and the Tillerson visit […]

Editorial Staff
100-day plan , Economic sanctions , Eurasian Initiative , G2 , nuclear proliferation , One Belt One Road , Silk Road Economic Belt , South China Sea , Trump , Trump-Xi Summit
May 01,2017 Country Reports

Country Report: Japan (April 2017)

The period February-April has witnessed an outpouring of Japanese articles on ties with the United States (as Trump sets his Asia policies and meets with Abe before meeting with Xi Jinping), China (as Japan toughened its stance toward North Korea and South Korea, while readying for the Trump challenge), Russia (as Abe prepared for a […]

Editorial Staff
Abe-Trump summit , comfort women , Economic sanctions , Kim Jong-nam , Moon Jae-in , Senkaku Islands , Strategic Triangle , Takeshima , THAAD , TPP
Apr 24,2017 Special Forum

Introduction

The unpopularity of the United States is rising around the world, not excluding Northeast Asia. Donald Trump is seen as a loose cannon, arousing distrust in allies and anxiety among potential adversaries that are uncertain of his intentions. Yet, his impact is not a total departure from earlier skepticism and even animosity against the US […]

Editorial Staff
alliance system , Anti-Americanism , Asianism , authoritarianism , Cold War , democratization , Donald Trump , Internationalism , missile defense , nuclear proliferation