Views & Opinions

J.R. Kim | President, KCPC North Korea commemorates July 27—the date the Korean War armistice was signed in 1953—as “Victory Day.” From early childhood, North Koreans are taught that the Korean War was a “war of aggression” launched by the puppet regime of Syngman Rhee in South Korea, backed by American imperialists. According to this narrative, the North fought a counteroffensive war to liberate the South Korean people from U.S. imperialism. Despite failing to unify the peni

Daniel Pinkston, Ph.D.  l Expert Advisor, KCPC If we seek to answer questions regarding U.S. foreign policy and its implications for the Korean Peninsula, we must consider the different levels of analysis in international relations. The actions of states and non-state actors are influenced by factors at the individual, state, and systemic levels. Structural theories of international relations focus on structural variables such as the distribution of power, wealth, and the int

Professor Christoph Bluth │ University of Bradford The changing security environment in East Asia and the challenge facing South Korea In the 21st century, South Korea is facing a complex security environment as one of the few liberal democratic states persistently threatened by a neighbor and, therefore, is a frontline state in the struggle for the emerging configuration of regional geopolitics. The persistent rivalry between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North

Tomasz Wierzbowski, Ph. D. l Adjunct Professor, HUFS The Korean Peninsula, a land steeped in history and culture, has been a focal point of geopolitical tensions for decades. The Korean War, which erupted in 1950 and concluded with an armistice in 1953, has left an indelible mark on the collective psyche of the Korean people. The armistice, signed by North Korea, China, and the United Nations Command, was intended to be a temporary measure for "complete cessation of hostiliti

Daniel Pinkston, Ph.D. l Expert Advisor, KCPC In late December 2023, the Korean Workers' Party convened the 9th Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee in Pyongyang. The meeting covered routine Party reports on politics, the economy, agriculture, and military affairs, among other topics.  However, General Secretary Kim Jong-un's plenary report included a surprising shift in the party's position on the issue of Korean unification. According to the Korean Central

J.R. Kim | President, KCPC 1. Introduction For a long time, the international community, including South Korea and the United States, has frequently used human rights issues as a means to "criticize and pressure" North Korea. Focusing on the abuse of civil and political rights by the Communist regime, the international community has raised the issues focusing on condemning the undemocratic nature of the North Korean regime and called for punishment of the perpetrators. Such a

By Hyung-suk Kim | Former Vice Minister of Unification 1. Yoon's Way of Dealing with North Korea In the first half of 2022, North Korea raised international concerns by resuming its nuclear activities along with a series of ballistic missile tests. Against this backdrop, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is determined to deal with North Korea in the following directions: First, it will respond firmly to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs but leave the door open for di

By James Khan | Member, KCPC "We don't serve Pyongyang-style raengmyon (or cold-broth noodle)," a female receptionist at the North Korea-run Ryugyong Restaurant in Dandong, dressed in a bright pink traditional Korean costume, said disdainfully. "Not for South Koreans." Following a large defection of restaurant employees in April and May 2016, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prohibited North Korean restaurants in China from accommodating South Koreans. Earlier this year,

By Ji Hoon Hong  | Attorney-at-law and Myung-soo Lee | Director, KCPC The euphoria over the inter-Korean summits of 2018 and the elevated expectations surrounding the US-North Korea summits in Singapore and Hanoi have faded away into distant and fragmented memories. The developments involving the Biden and Yoon Suk-yeol administrations indicate not only an unmistakable return to more conservative and traditional security-related posture but also the broadening and deepeni