North Korea’s nuclear weapons capabilities will not undermine the current deterrence system and regional balance of power nor lead to a nuclear arms race, writes Stephen Szuster The resumption of a nuclear weapons program in North Korea and its successive missile tests in recent months have stoked great alarm, especially when the regime is routinely […]
Controversy over corruption continues in South Korea months after the impeachment and gaoling of former President, Park Geun-hye, writes Hyung-A Kim The billionaire heir-apparent to South Korea’s largest family-owned conglomerate or chaebŏl, Samsung Electronics, has been gaoled for five years for bribery and embezzlement, among other charges. Lee Jae-yong, aged 49, also known as Jay […]
Despite efforts to dissuade North Korea from its current path, the reclusive regime continues to pursue its military program with increasing intensity. Bernard F. W. Loo considers the options On 3 September 2017, North Korea conducted its 6th nuclear test. This nuclear test comes hot on the heels of the 29 August test of a […]
Candidates for South Korea’s presidential elections next month promise radical reform following the fall of President Park Geun-hye, writes Hyung-A Kim The formal indictment of recently impeached and ousted former president Park Geun-hye on 18 charges on 17 April 2017, including that of receiving or demanding 59.2 billion won (A$52.1 million) in bribes, has indisputable […]
K-pop is evolving, writes Roald Maliangkaij—but you wouldn’t know if you listened The term K-pop is one of the latest additions to the lexicon of global fads. Since the late 1990s, when Korean pop acts began to sell out stadiums across Northeast Asia, it has become a label for perfectly synced and well-behaved, fast R&B-based […]
South Korea prepares for new presidential elections in 60 days—and the new president will face immediate pressing issues, writes Hyung-A Kim At 11am Seoul time last Friday (10 March), eight judges of South Korea’s Constitutional Court, in a nationally televised decision, ruled unanimously to remove President Park Geun-hye from office on 13 charges. ‘Her violations […]