By Ji-Woo Park
Seoul-based correspondent covering the peninsula, from Blue House politics to North Korea.
South Korea's Starbucks Furor Revives an Illiberal Habit of Collective Punishment
A Starbucks Korea promotion on May 18 sparked outrage for its perceived insensitivity to the Gwangju Uprising. The backlash, amplified by Pr
Starbucks 'Tank Day' Gaffe Exposes South Korea's Pre-Election Fault Lines
Starbucks Korea's 'Tank Day' promotion on the Gwangju Uprising anniversary has ignited a political firestorm. The controversy, involving Shi
South Korea's Nuclear Submarine Ambition: Strategic Leap or Budgetary Overreach?
South Korea aims to launch its first domestically built nuclear-powered attack submarine by the mid-2030s. The project promises strategic au
Seoul's Selective Human Rights Stance Reveals a Blind Spot Beijing Exploits
Seoul's inconsistent human rights approach—swift action for activists detained by Israel but silence on South Koreans held in North Korea—un
South Korea's AI Stock Boom Masks Currency Crisis and Economic Risks
The Kospi index has surged 85% this year, driven by AI mania, but the South Korean won has slumped 4.5%. Currency weakness, inflation, and g
Trump-Xi Summit Fails to Shift North Korea's Strategic Calculus
The Trump-Xi summit in Beijing projected calm but not strategic convergence on North Korea. China views Pyongyang as a geopolitical buffer,
South Korea Increasingly Seen as US Logistics Hub for Potential China Conflict
US military commanders are framing South Korea as a future logistics hub for a war with China. This comes as Seoul's confidence in American
Gwangju Massacre Deniers Still Cling to North Korean Conspiracy Theories
Conservative voices in South Korea continue to push conspiracy theories linking North Korean infiltrators to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. Thes
North Korea's Domestic Repression Fuels Its Foreign Aggression
North Korea's brutal domestic system is the engine behind its missile tests, arms exports, and troop deployments to Ukraine. Treating human
Seoul's Southward Pivot: Lee Jae-myung's Strategic Autonomy Push
President Lee Jae-myung's administration is executing a deliberate pivot southward, elevating partnerships with Singapore, Indonesia, the Ph
Three Strategies for South Korea to Hedge Against US Uncertainty
South Korea faces growing pressure to hedge its US alliance amid trade disputes and the Iran war. Three options include joining the CPTPP, l
South Korea's AI Boom Masks Deep Structural Vulnerabilities
South Korea's Kospi index hits record highs on AI-driven semiconductor demand. Yet China's advances in EVs, batteries, and AI, plus domestic