Korea Watch
Korea Watch is our portal into all things Korea.
In this space, we will tackle issues such as the North Korea challenge and of course Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons development, U.S.-DPRK relations, South Korean domestic politics and economic issues, technological innovations originating on the Korean peninsula, demographics and more.
You will also find here many new symposiums tackling many Korea-related issues, videos to events and webinars as well as interviews with top policy and decisionmakers.
Some of the key authors you will find here include Victor Cha, Ted Galen Carpenter, Joseph Nye, Robert E. Kelly, and Mitchell Blatt.
Why It’s Time for a South Korean Nuclear Deterrent
With North Korea preparing to strike southward, and the United States deeply ambivalent about its defense, Seoul needs nuclear weapons now more than ever.
Stories from Korea Watch
Troops-for-Oil? The Real Reason Behind North Korea’s ‘Going to War’ in Ukraine
North Korea’s decision to send troops to support Russia in the Ukraine war is rooted in pragmatic and geopolitical factors. Pyongyang seeks to secure much-needed oil and gas from Moscow,...
North Korea Fighting in Ukraine Could Start World War III
What You Need to Know: North Korean troops, reportedly from the elite 11th Corps “Storm Corps”, are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in the war....
North Korea Is the Only Winner in the Russia-Ukraine War
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, North Korea has moved from vocal support of Russia and the invasion to shipping missiles and artillery shells to Russia to sending North Korean soldiers...
This Is Serious: Why North Korea Is Fighting and Dying in Ukraine For Russia
Big news: North Korea is not a black hole. It is a country that is now sending its military to the other side of Eurasia. Historically, Pyongyang’s problem has been...
The Stakes of the Russia-North Korea Alliance
In early October 2024, Ukrainian intelligence announced that several thousand North Korean soldiers had begun training in Russia. The South Korean government and the United States corroborated the report. Then,...
North Korean Soldiers Fighting in Ukraine Could Spark World War III
The entry of North Koreans in the Ukraine war – a brazen, escalating move by Kim Jong Un – could transform that conflict into a global war. For the United...
North Korea’s Combat Role in Ukraine War Intensifies Nuclear Threat
If there is one thing that the ongoing Ukraine War has established, it is that contemporary conflict in Europe is anything but limited to Europe. The deployment of 12,000 North Korean...
Fighting a ‘Holy War’: North Korea’s Role in Putin’s Crusade Against Ukraine
What You Need to Know: Amidst Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, North Korea’s support underscores an emerging, loose alliance with China, Iran, and Russia that challenges global stability. North Korea’s supply...
The Limits of Soft Power: South Korea Joins the Great Power Game
For years, South Korean diplomacy has focused on Hallyu, promoting Korean popular culture to the world. As K-pop, K-beauty, and K-dramas have taken over the world, the goal is to...
What Does the Team Up with North Korea Tell Us About Russia?
North Koreans are involved in combat on European soil. Not that long ago, such a headline would have triggered disbelief or amazement. But in this day and age, the fact...
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: The Final Blow to Korean Reunification?
Same Peninsula but Worlds Apart: North Korean Soldiers in Ukraine is the Nail in the Coffin for Peaceful Korean Reunification – Are the battle-hardened Ukrainian soldiers shivering in their boots,...
North Korea’s Combat Troops in Ukraine: What It Means for the West
Escalatory Choices and Regime Strength: The Sources and Consequences of North Korean Deployments in the Ukraine War – North Korean military presence on Russia’s front lines with Ukraine is increasingly aimed at...