By Ji-Woo Park
Seoul-based correspondent covering the peninsula, from Blue House politics to North Korea.
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
Southeast Asia Emerges as Key Mediator in Stalled Korean Peninsula Diplomacy
Inter-Korean diplomacy remains frozen despite Seoul's initiatives. Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos are stepping in as practical mediators, leve
North Korea Advances Sea-Based Nuclear Deterrent with New Destroyer Tests
North Korea has test-fired strategic cruise and anti-ship missiles from its new Choe Hyon destroyer, overseen by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
South Korea's Alliance with the US Faces a Reckoning Over Cost and Reciprocity
South Korea's costly military contributions, from Vietnam to Iraq, contrast with a more transactional US approach. The alliance's fundamenta
North Korea's Advancing Nuclear Threat Exposes a Dangerous Policy Divide
North Korea is methodically closing the technical gap to field a nuclear-armed missile capable of reaching the United States. The US and Sou
Seoul Leverages Iran Conflict to Push Financial Reforms and End 'Korea Discount'
President Lee Jae-myung is invoking Milton Friedman's crisis reform playbook to overhaul South Korea's capital markets. The goal: erase the
Lee Jae-myung's Kospi Rally Masks Unfinished Reform Agenda
President Lee Jae-myung's Kospi 5,000 pledge was achieved in just over five months, thanks to the global AI boom. The rally masks a lack of
South Korea Positions Itself as Quad Alternative Amid US-India Strains
South Korea's president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has declared his willingness to join an expanded Quad, offering a strategic alternative as US-In