Obama failed to execute an economic and military pivot to Asia. Will Trump pick up the fumble and run with it?
Will Trump Complete the Pivot to Asia?
read more
Korea
Words of Warning and Encouragement to South Korean Student Protesters
Young people are at the forefront of change in South Korea. What can they learn from the past?
East Asia Is Invisible
East Asia is invisible to the average American — for better and worse.
Women’s Delegation to Cross DMZ
Gloria Steinem will be leading a group of women from South Korea to North Korea. Why are critics taking aim at this important gesture?
The Sun Also Rises: Resisting Militarism in Japan
It’s a critical time to support Japanese efforts to oppose Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s nationalist refashioning of his country.
Korea and the U.S. Elections
It’s election time in the United States, and once again Washington doesn’t care about Korea. I realize that this is a difficult pill for Koreans to swallow. Koreans naturally believe that, since Korea is at the heart of East Asia and East Asia is at the heart of the global economy, American politicians and voters care deeply about what happens on the peninsula.
Korean Americans and Allies to Participate in “From War to Peace in East Asia,” Events on Korean War
On July 27, 2011 scholars from the Institute for Policy Studies, South Korea, and the Washington Peace Center will hold a special discussion on the status of the Korean War Armistice and why a peace treaty to end the Korean War matters today in the context of the current military issues facing East Asia and the overall need for peacebuilding in this region.
Review: The Postman
Van Gogh. Robots. Buddhism and the Bible. In Mun Dok-su’s long poem, The Postman, these elements, and a variety more, weave together to form a searching narrative that addresses some of the largest questions of humanity. What is at the root of war, terror, and destruction? How does one hold on to one’s humanity in the face of modern warfare and technology? As a postman delivers news to the door, Mun Dok-su delivers answers to his reader. At 82 years old, the poet has given the world his landmark work—an epic poem that exudes fire and fearlessness.
The Lasting Significance of Kwangju
Last week marked the 30th anniversary of the Kwangju Citizens’ Uprising in South Korea, a pivotal event that inspired the Korean democratic movement through its ultimate victory in the late 1980s. In Kwangju, where hundreds died in the uprising, the event was marked by solemn remembrances and the presence of political leaders from both left and right, including representatives of President Lee Myung-bak, South Korea’s most conservative leader in over a decade. But the event drew hardly a passing glance in the United States, which is South Korea’s closest ally.
Dealing with North Korea’s Tests
North Korea has conducted its second nuclear test. The big question now is whether the world’s response will recognize the unique features of this most recent intensification of the crisis, and so effectively answer Pyongyang’s latest challenge to global nuclear stability and the embryonic disarmament renaissance.