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
Donald Trump Must Make A “Big, Beautiful Deal” With North Korea
North Korea’s nuclear threat cannot be ignored any longer. And Washington must recognize that it cannot continue dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat the way it has done in...
The SHIPS Act: Domestic Shipbuilding With a Foreign Ally
On December 19, 2024, a bipartisan coalition introduced the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act (SHIPS Act) to Congress. The Act aims to strengthen domestic...
Ukraine’s Dual Adversaries: Russia and North Korea
Ukraine is fighting a war against two nuclear weapons countries: Russia, a signatory of the non-proliferation treaty, and North Korea, which is not. Since 2014, Moscow has been undermining the...
Does Donald Trump Want a Nuclear South Korea?
Rather than waiting—and hoping—that the Americans would protect them from their neighbors to the north, Seoul’s leaders could easily protect themselves.
Trump’s Second Term: Even More Engagement With North Korea Than Before?
Two North Koreans who once operated in the heart of its regime, bring firsthand insight into the Kim family’s rule and the dynamics of U.S.-North Korea diplomacy. In a recent...
Yoon’s Failed Coup Already Has Serious Implications for South Korea’s Security Partnerships
President Yoon Suk-yeol’s shocking coup attempt through martial law has triggered an unprecedented and historic political crisis in South Korea. For this, Yoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo were impeached,...
Engagement vs. Alliance: Trump’s Dilemma on the Korean Peninsula
With the Trump administration soon to enter office, the North Korean (DPRK) issue will quickly come back onto the radar. Although a large part of the foreign policy commentariat would...
Seoul: North Korea’s New Hypersonic Rocket is a “Clear Act of Provocation”
The North Korean military tested an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile (IRBM) as part of Pyongyang’s determination to accelerate its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. A New Hypersonic Ballistic Missile ...
South Korea’s Democracy Endured Yoon’s Authoritarian Nostalgia, but Trilateral Cooperation May Not
Yoon Suk Yeol’s 2022 election came as a relief to the U.S. foreign policy community, given his support for the U.S. alliance, openness to improved ties with Japan, and a...
South Korea’s Coup That Wasn’t
Washington, DC is fourteen hours behind Seoul. London is nine hours behind, Berlin is eight, and New Delhi is three. No matter your time zone, you may have slept through the...
Why the North Korea-Russia Alliance Is a Grave Threat
In this volatile and extremely uncertain landscape, South Korea has little to gain and much to lose by taking premature action that might harm its national interests.
For North Korea, Fighting in Ukraine is an Ideological Dream Come True
The regime may well be successful in convincing the public that this is a necessary sacrifice in the same “sacred war” against imperialism and global capitalism that the regime has...