By Ji-Woo Park
Seoul-based correspondent covering the peninsula, from Blue House politics to North Korea.
Xi Jinping's Pyongyang Visit: Managing a Nuclear North Korea Aligned with Moscow
Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea comes as Pyongyang's nuclear program, boosted by Russian technology, alarms Seoul and Tokyo. The trip aims
Ballot Shortages and Delays Undermine Trust in South Korea's Election System
Ballot shortages at 50 polling stations, a blockaded ballot box in Seoul, and delayed vote counts have eroded public confidence in South Kor
US-China Summit Drives South Korea's Strategic Autonomy Push
The US-China summit in Beijing on May 14, 2026, focused on strategic stability but failed to address underlying tensions. South Korea is rap
South Korea's Starbucks Probe Tests Limits of Democratic Memory
Police in Seoul are investigating Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong-jin and former Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun over a promotion th
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