North Korea Following a Well-Worn Pattern

Some experts believe North Korea's posturing is still another ploy to obtain foreign aid, and that is certainly one of the goals. But at the same time, this provocative series of events is drawing more international attention than previous inflammatory moments

Iran's North Korean Nuclear Future

The present crisis with North Korea offers us a glimpse of what, and what not, to expect should Iran get the bomb. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would gain the attention currently being paid to Kim Jong-un -- similarly not otherwise earned by his nation's economy or cultural influence

Considering a Departure in North Korea's Strategy

North Korea's primary goal is regime preservation. Demonstrating ferocity makes other countries cautious. Weakness prevents other countries from taking drastic action. The pretense of insanity makes North Korea appear completely unpredictable

Asian Little Tigers have Fewer Cubs

The Asian 'little Tigers' -- Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Macau -- have small families. In one ranking of total fertility rates, these places are at the bottom, with rates of 1.25 or below. The consequences of this are stark

Bizarre Belligerence on the Korean Peninsula

The news from North Korea has of late been of the frightening variety. What the North Korean leadership is hoping to achieve by its belligerence is anyone's guess, but the aggressive American response has only escalated tension

Basketball Diplomacy, Pyongyang Style

It is really not so odd that we would find Dennis Rodman partying heartily with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. After all, they have so much in common. They both love basketball, self-promotion and keeping the world guessing about their sanity

Dennis Rodman Projects Himself as FBI Informant, Global Peacemaker

Dennis Rodman claims that the FBI is thinking of sending him back to North Korea later this year as an informant. His first visit to North Korea included a meeting with dictator Kim Jong-un

United States, South Korea Ready to Counter North Korean Aggression

Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States will defend itself and its allies amid what he calls 'provocative, dangerous and reckless' threats by North Korean leader Kim Jung Un

North Korea May Have Finally Gone Too Far

It seems North Korea has finally gone too far -- even for China, its patron state and only true friend. For the first time, Chinese leaders seem to be taking modest steps intended to punish their southern neighbor for threatening to conduct a third nuclear-weapons test

New Internet Regulations Provide Window into North Korea

Foreigners living in and visiting North Korea can now access Twitter, Facebook, and other social media on their mobile phones, providing what could be an unprecedented, real-time view of the notoriously isolated country

New Faces, Old Tensions in East Asia

It is a time of tension in East Asia with growing nationalism, territorial claims between Japan and its neighbours and the persistent challenge of a nuclear North Korea

Ferocious, Weak and Crazy: The North Korean Strategy

North Korea has been using the threat of tests and the tests themselves as weapons against its neighbors and the United States for years. And doing it successfully. So what appears absurd on the surface quite obviously isn't. On the contrary, it has proved to be a very effective maneuver

Storm is Brewing in The Treacherous South China Sea

The conflict in the South China Sea may be long running, but there are several reasons why it has become much more dangerous. There can be little doubt that President Obama in his second term will find the South China Sea one of the hottest issues in East Asia

Deja Vu on the Korean Peninsula

North Korea will not consider relinquishing its nuclear program without fundamental changes to the security dynamic in the region

The Limits of Information in North Korea

North Koreans now know more about the outside world than ever before. So, why haven't they changed their regime?

Korean Reunification Would Cast Off China's Shadow

Historical memory and the possible 'Finlandization' of the peninsula may enhance prospects for Korean reunification

Ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman finds new friend in North Korean leader

Retired NBA superstar Dennis Rodman has found a new friend in the equally controversial North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Rodman and the controversial leader sat together to watch a basketball game

North Korean Nuclear Test Could Worsen China Relations

China’s relations with North Korea have deteriorated, and could further worsen should the North carry out its nuclear test. It is believed China would respond to a third nuclear test with economic, political and military measures

United Nations Calls for North Korea Human Rights Inquiry

The U.N.'s top human rights official is calling for an international inquiry into what she calls the 'deplorable human rights situation' in North Korea

Japan Remains on Alert Amid Reports of Delayed Launch of North Korean Rocket

Just hours after North Korea delayed the much-criticized rocket launch program, Japan said that it would remain on full alert as Pyongyang has opened the lift-off window

South Korea Unveils $5.2 Billion Stimulus Package

In an effort to boost consumer spending amidst slowing exports, South Korea has announced a new round of stimulus package

Dong-Hyun Eclipses own World-Record in Archery

Determination can move mountains -- and help erase a few records. That perhaps is the motto of South Korean archer, Im Dong-hyun, who eclipsed his 72-arrow world record at the hallowed Lord's cricket ground turf with a score of 699

London Games Organizers Apologize After Korean Flag Blunder

Following the outrage over the London Olympic Games organizers unfurling South Korea's flag instead of the communist North's before a women's soccer match, IOC president Jacques Rogge and LOGOC officials tender apology

South Korea to Implement New UN Sanctions Against North Korea

South Korea confirmed it would implement expanded United Nations sanctions on North Korea, despite dire warnings from Pyongyang about the consequences

Korea: The Case for Withdrawal

It's time to start withdrawing American troops from the Korean peninsula and kickstart diplomatic progress in Northeast Asia -- and save the United States billions of dollars a year to boot

Time to End the Korean War

Next year is the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended the hot war but left the Korean peninsula technically and legally still at war. A former missionary reflects on the possibility for peace on the Korean peninsula

North Korea and Disneyland

The new North Korean leader likes Disney. But that's not necessarily a sign that he's leaning westward

Japan Claims Women's Volleyball Bronze

Japan's dream of winning an Olympic medal finally turned into reality in London as the duo formed by Kimura and Sakoda played a superb match to edge Korea in straight sets

USA Women Advance to Volleyball Final after Routing Korea in Straight Sets

Team USA advanced to the Women's Olympic Volleyball finals for the third time in history after routing Korea in three straight sets

South Korea: Stuck in the 20th Century?

South Korea is cutting-edge in so many ways, except its foreign policy

The Balance of Power in a 'Complex' Asia

Are China, Japan and South Korea 'locked in' to a traditional balance of power dynamic, or does another future path exist?

The Cuban Missile Crisis at 50

Every president since JFK has tried to learn from what happened back then. Today, it can help policymakers understand what to do -- and what not to do -- about Iran, North Korea, China, and presidential decision-making in general

Tall Tale about Special Forces in North Korea?

The U.S. Army denies a story about the use of Special Forces in North Korea. But a great deal lies behind this slip of the lip

North Korea's Pivot

After three years of frozen relations between North Korea and the United States, the two longstanding adversaries are on the verge of a thaw

Chinese Benefits from Investing in Rason

While the details are unclear, China has reason to invest in Rason. North Korea is eager to accept the investment because economic uncertainty during a time of transition could be catastrophic for the new regime

South Korea: The Other Kim

South Korean parliamentarian Kim Geun-Tae was a soft-spoken man dedicated to reunification of the Koreas

North Korea on the Verge of a New Era?

The Obama administration has a chance to use the death of Kim Jong Il to open a new chapter in its relationship with North Korea

Balancing the East, Upgrading the West

The United States' central challenge over the next several decades is to revitalize itself, while promoting a larger West and buttressing a complex balance in the East that can accommodate China's rising global status

A Nuclear Wake-up Call

Today, Islamic fundamentalists dream of acquiring a bomb. And with Osama bin Laden dead and al-Qaeda's relevance waning, how better to regain notoriety than to set off a nuclear weapon in some Western city?

Should United States Engage North Korea?

The United States has failed in its policies to punish, isolate, and otherwise push North Korea toward collapse. Perhaps it should try engagement instead

Seoul Salvation

Remember his name. Park Won Soon is perhaps the first politician to win with an Occupy Wall Street platform

South Korea Suicide Rate Doubles in 10 Years

Suicide rates in South Korea more than doubled in a decade, according to figures from the government

North Korea's Rare Pledge to Abandon Nuclear Activities

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has won a rare pledge from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. While on a state visit, Kim said North Korea was ready to abandon nuclear testing and allow a gas pipeline through its territory

Kim Jong-Il Pushes China for New Nuclear Talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is making another push to restart nuclear disarmament talks in the hopes of getting aid for his impoverished country

Seoul Blasts Pyongyang For Fabricating Shelling Incident

Just a day after South Korea fired warning shots on North Korea in response to its shell firing near the disputed border, Seoul blasted Pyongyang for faking up the incident

Save the North Koreans!

North Korea's plight is not news. Everyone knows that it is an anachronistic, totalitarian police state, and yet the spirit of 'never again' finds little purchase in the Western conscience. Indeed, with the exception of some heroic human rights organizations, the debate is defined almost entirely by what some call 'realism'

Young South Koreans Unfazed By North Korean Threat

You might think South Korea is keeping carefully preserved attack sites to help convince visiting world leaders of North Korea's perfidy. But no, the primary audience is actually South Koreans

China is Roiling the Waters

China is making the ridiculous assertion that it controls virtually all of the seas from Korea all the way down to Malaysia and Brunei

North Korea's Failed Fireworks

Its latest effort broke up within two minutes of launch. North Korea acknowledged the failure and went on with its celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the country's founder, Kim Il Sung

Isolation and Poverty Loom for Asia's Aging Population

Asia has one of the largest concentrations globally of aging persons, creating a host of potential challenges

Is There Hope for a North Korean Thaw?

Don't give up on Kim Jong-un, the cherubic naif who is North Korea's new supreme leader

North Korea After Kim Jong Il

North Korea's stability is in question as the country tries to smoothly transition from the leadership of the late Kim Jong Il to that of his youngest son and chosen successor, Kim Jong Un

'Great Successor' Needs Unalloyed Support of Military

At present, it's unclear whether or not Kim Jong-un is the military's leader of choice

Playing With Fire on the Korean Peninsula

Why is the Obama Administration creating obstacles and throwing cold water on talks with North Korea, and why is it binding itself to right-wing South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, whose politics just took a shellacking

Does Kim Need to Keep His Nukes to Avoid Gaddafi's Fate?

North Korea believes that by giving up its nuclear arms, Libya fatally compromised its national security

United States - South Korea Trade Deal Win-Win for Jobs and Economy

Congress approved the deal in a rare bipartisan achievement after negotiators overcame U.S. auto industry complaints that previous efforts at a deal failed to do enough to lift South Korea's barriers to U.S.-made cars

South Korea's Naval Base on Ulleung Island

South Korea hopes that the new base will help strengthen its territorial rights on Dokdo as the base would enable its ships to reach the islands quickly

North Korea Planned Assassination of South Korean Defense Minister

If media reports are to be believed, North Korea has plotted to kill South Korean defense minister Kim Kwan-Jin, who pledged to strongly respond to attacks from the communist state

Bombs Before Bread in North Korea

Is there any greater nuclear threat to the world than North Korea? With a dozen nuclear weapons and a vile record of proliferation, this rogue state and its lunatic leader can be relied upon for just one thing: making terrible trouble for its neighbors and everyone else

South Korea's School Tablets -- a Test for All

South Korea's announcement that it will ban all school paper textbooks and replace them with electronic tablets by 2014 should ring alarm bells in the United States, Europe and Latin America -- many of our children run the risk of being left even farther behind their digital-savvy Asian counterparts

Samsung Cites Study Showing No Link Between Factories and Worker Deaths

Samsung said a study it commissioned has found no connection between the deaths of six South Korean workers and chemicals at its semiconductor plants

Despite Missile Failure, North Korea is Still the Big Winner

North Korea's launch buys more time to continue nuclear, missile work

The United States in Korea: A Strategy of Inertia

This is an opportunity to review Washington's strategy is in Korea and how the countries around North Korea (China, Russia, South Korea and Japan) view the region

Divided Over North Korean Refugees

How to deal with North Korean refugees is currently one of the hottest issues in China and South Korea's bilateral relationship

Latin - Asian Technological Gap Keeps Growing

Latin America should take a close look at the latest U.S. technological innovation figures: They show that, despite signs of progress in several countries, the gap between Asian and Latin American countries keeps widening

A Korean Spring?

All eyes are on North Korea after Kim Jong Il's death. But the real changes are taking place in the South

The Kims: Like Grandfather, Like Son?

Kim Jong-un may be modeling himself afer North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung

North Korea More Dependent on China Than Ever

More than ever, North Korea will likely turn to China as its primary provider of food, money and material resources

The Survival of North Korea

Despite the predictions of many obituary writers, North Korea is still around. It was supposed to collapse with the Eastern European communist regimes, but it didn't. It was supposed to crumble during the great famine of the mid-1990s, but it didn't. Hard-line policies of the Bush administration were supposed to do the trick, but they didn't

A New Kind of Korea: Building Trust Between Seoul and Pyongyang

The Korean Peninsula remains volatile. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by North Korea, the modernization of conventional forces across the region, and nascent great-power rivalries highlight the endemic security dilemmas that plague this part of Asia.

Kim Jong Il's Visit to Russia: Just More Mixed Messages?

North Korea and Russia may be chummy, but South Korea and Japan remain suspicious of North Korea's motives.

North Korea Accuses South Korea of Plotting to Destroy Its Socialist System

North Korea has accused the South Korean government of plotting to destroy its socialist system

Far East and Middle East: A Study in Contrasts?

All seems placid in the Far East. There is, of course, the lunatic regime of North Korea. However ... China seems content with its political menu of stability, reassurance and an ever-growing economy. Japan has ceded its place as No. 2 in the world economy to China, and now seeks to reconcile its impressive industrial base. Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan push on in becoming more rich

Korea: A Glimmer of Hope

In the wake of the sinking of the Cheonan - South Korea's corvette in March 2010 with the loss of 46 lives - and the dramatic, surprise revelations in November of a new and massive North Korean uranium enrichment centrifuge facility, international opinion was already beginning to worry about the intentions of the Kim Jong-il administration.

North Korea: The World's Problem Child

No other country presents so serious a problem for the world today, and no other problem seems as insoluble: Right now, North Korea's malign behavior could conceivably draw the United States into still another war. Most everyone considers North Korea mercurial, unpredictable. But in fact, its behavior usually follows a consistent pattern

Korean Rice Cake Soup: Traditional Winter Comfort Food

Latin American Leaders Could Have Learned From South Korea

North Korean Succession Plans Are Shrouded in Mystery

Handling Tensions on the Korean Peninsula

China Is the Key to Handling Nuclear North Korea

Korean Tensions: Waiting for China

The Rise of Asia's Universities

U.S. - North Korea Stalemate

Facing Realities on North Korea

Changing North Korea

Relief Over Freed U.S. Journalists Tempered by Long-Term Implications

'Never Again' in North Korea? Think Again

Today, North Korea; Tomorrow, Iran - Nuclear Weapons

Time to Test North Korea - Nuclear Weapons

North Korea's Nuclear Weapon Challenge