Korean Kontext

[Rebroadcast] UK Ambassador to North Korea John Everard

With no shortage of North Korean news in 2016, we look back at one of our interviews with Ambassador John Everard of the UK. He provides an inside perspective of North Korea from his time living in Pyongyang.

From the original broadcast:

In this episode we speak with Ambassador John Everard, who served as Ambassador of Great Britain to North Korea from 2006-2008. Ambassador Everard experienced firsthand life as one of only a handful of foreign diplomats posted in Pyongyang, and draws from his experience to share anecdotes and insights into a way of life and a system of governance that is largely obscured from public view.

Can Sanctions Force Change in North Korea?

After North Korea launched its fourth nuclear test in January 2016, an outraged international community once again cracked down, passing tough sanctions both at the UN and domestic levels. While early signs seem to indicate that these sanctions are putting a dent in North Korea's trade with other countries, it remains to be seen whether they will have a real impact on the DPRK's policies.

This week's guest is skeptical about the ability of sanctions to push real change in a targeted country. Dr. Dursun Peksen, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Memphis, has studied sanctions around the world for years, and his new paper for KEI suggests that sanctions against North Korea may be less effective than we hope.

Korean Aid and Cooperation with the African Development Bank

In May 2016, Park Geun Hye became the first South Korean president to visit the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia. This trip, which also included stops in Uganda and Kenya, has been hailed as part of a growing Korean interest in Africa, particularly when it comes to development aid.

To discuss this trend is this week's guest, Valerie Dabady Liverani. She has worked at the African Development Bank (AfDB) since 1998, and now serves as the manager of their Resource Mobilization and External Finance Department. 

In this episode, Dabady Liverani talks about Korea's work with the AfDB, some areas where more resources are needed, and possible overlap between Korea's cultural promotion and aid projects.

Photo from Korea.net's photostream on flickr Creative Commons.

Korea's Economic Outlook: A View from the OECD

This week, we have a very special guest who flew in from Paris to talk about Korea's economy. Dr. Randall Jones is head of the Japan/Korea Desk at the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and has studied the Korean economy extensively for the OECD's new economic survey of Korea.

In this episode, KEI senior director Troy Stangarone spoke with Jones about the report, including Korea's recent economic performance and future outlook. They also discussed some of Jones' recommendations to help Korea increase its growth moving forward.

Seoul Mate: A Reflection on Five Years in Korea

As Seoul has grown, it has become more and more international. The city has been making an effort to attract more foreign visitors, whether as tourists, students or workers. This week, we sit down with one of those visitors, who called Seoul home for more than five years.

Ross Tokola first visited Korea in 2009 when his father, KEI Vice President Mark Tokola, was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. He returned in 2011 and stayed, working for the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and spending time learning Korean at Sogang University.

In this week's episode, we chat with Ross about his experience living and working in Seoul, how the city has changed since he first moved there, and more.

Myanmar Between the Two Koreas

Over the last 50 years, Myanmar has oscillated between periods of friendship with South Korea and partnership with North Korea. As Myanmar opens to the international community, however, investment and aid from South Korea seem to be cementing its loyalty to Seoul. 

How has Myanmar interacted with the two Koreas in the past, and could they swing back toward Pyongyang in the coming years? In this episode, we talk with Myanmar expert Dr. David Steinberg to flesh out Myanmar's tangled relationship with the two halves of the Korean Peninsula. As a government official, researcher and academic, Dr. Steinberg has decades of experience following Myanmar's many political and economic transitions. This week, he brings that expertise to Korean Kontext.

Combatting Yellow Dust and Air Pollution

Anyone who has spent time in Korea knows the term Yellow Dust. Sand from Mongolia sweeps across China, picking up pollutants and carrying them across borders. Every spring, Koreans bring out their facemasks and lament China's lax environmental standards. But according to this week's guest, the "Blame China" narrative is an oversimplification of the problem.

Our guest for this episode is Dr. Matthew Shapiro, associate professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He recently wrote a paper for KEI on Asia's air pollution problem, including how Korean industry investment in China may be partly to blame. 

Deciphering China’s Security Intentions: A Japanese Perspective

This week, we delve into how Japan views the security threat from China, and how these perceptions shape Japanese policy. For this, we turn to security expert Dr. Narushige Michishita.

Dr. Michishita is a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo and is currently a Japan scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC. KEI recently commissioned a paper from him for our Academic Symposium program. The paper looked into how different sectors in Japan view the Chinese security threat, including politicians, the defense ministry, and the media.

In this episode, we discuss his findings and Japan's view toward Chinese security intentions more broadly. We also discuss some of his other research on security and strategy in Northeast Asia.

Reform or Status Quo? An Analysis of North Korea's Party Congress

Last week, North Korea launched its Seventh Worker's Party Congress, a major meeting of regime leaders that has not been convened in 36 years. Although analysts had high expectations for the meeting, there were few major announcements out of Pyongyang. What significance did the meeting have? What changes does it signal for the DPRK in the future?

To answer some of these questions, this week Korean Kontext host Jenna Gibson sits down with Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation. They discuss some of the announcements that Kim Jong Un made at the Congress, some of the expected moves that he chose not to make, and why he may have chosen to wear that infamous striped suit.

A Russian Perspective on Northeast Asia

In this episode, we take a step back from the Korean Peninsula and take a look at Northeast Asia from the perspective of one of its neighbors - Russia. In recent years, Russia has been pursuing a "Turn East" policy, hoping to get more involved in China and on both sides of the Korean Peninsula. But so far these attempts have had mixed success.

Our guest this week is Alexander Gabuev, chair of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center. We discuss Russia's view towards China, its Turn to the East policy, and the role that Russia is trying to play in solving the North Korea issue.

South Korea and Iran's Partnership Potential

On May 1, South Korean President Park Geun-hye will travel to Tehran, Iran for a summit meeting with her counterpart, President Hassan Rouhani. This visit will be the first time a South Korean and Iranian president have met for a bilateral summit since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1962.

Our guest this week is Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute who specializes in Iranian foreign and domestic policy. We discuss this historic event from the Iranian perspective, including what the meeting could mean for the two countries on both a practical and a symbolic level.

For more information on South Korea's ties with Iran, check out KEI's new blog post on the subject.

South Korea's Role in the Chang Mai Initiative and Regional Economic Integration

In 2010, a group of Asian countries made major strides toward economic integration with the launch of the Chang Mai Initiative Multilateralization. This currency swap arrangement has had a major impact on economic cooperation and stability for the member countries.

This week, guest host Kyle Ferrier, KEI's director of academic affairs and research, sits down with Dr. Kaewkamol (Karen) Pitakdumrongkit. Dr. Pitakdumrongkit, who is an assistant professor at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, examines the initiative from its origins to recent changes, and explores the role South Korea played as a mediator in the creation of this landmark agreement.

[Rebroadcast] Steven Yeun: The Walking Dead

With the recent season finale of The Walking Dead and the broadcast of his visit to South Korea with talk show host Conan O'Brien this past weekend, we look back at our interview with Korean-American actor Steven Yeun.

From the original broadcast:

In this episode, Korean Kontext spoke to Korean-American actor Steven Yeun.  Having acted in several high profile TV shows, Yeun's interest in acting originated during his freshman year at Kalamazoo College after watching improv group "Monkapult".  Originally studying Psychology at Kalamazoo, Yeun's parents gave him two years to try acting and it didn't take long for him to win his first roles.  Fast-forward to 2010 and Yeun was cast as Glenn in the hugely popular The Walking Dead, a character that put him on millions of TV screens worldwide.Korean Kontext caught up with Steven over Skype for a chat about his career as a Korean American actor, current role in The Walking Dead, and future career aspirations.  Tune in for a fascinating conversation with Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead.

A Look at the North Korean Economy with Dr. Stephan Haggard

This week our guest is noted scholar and North Korea watcher Dr. Stephan Haggard. Dr. Haggard is a Professor of Korea-Pacific Studies and director of the Korea-Pacific Program at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California San Diego. He also co-authors the popular "North Korea: Witness to Transformation" blog at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

As an expert on North Korea and the North Korean economic situation, we were eager to talk with Dr. Haggard about a range of issues, including the rise of the black market economy, the economic effect of new sanctions, and even the possibility that Kim Jong Un will institute a new tax system in the DPRK.

Dr. Haggard was recently here at KEI moderating a panel on this topic with researchers from China, Russia, and the United States. The video of the discussion can be found here.

Overlap and Divergence in American and European Approaches to the Korean Peninsula

At KEI, we mainly focus on the relationship between the United States and South Korea, and their approaches toward North Korea. This week, we're taking a different look at the Peninsula - through the European perspective. While the United States and Europe share a lot of common goals and policies toward both sides of the DMZ, there are some distinct differences in the way they approach Korea. And within Europe there are also a range of policies and approaches.

This week, we connect with Dr. John Nilsson-Wright, head of the Asia Program at Chatham House and an official fellow of Darwin College at Cambridge University. We discuss some of the similarities and differences in how our friends across the pond view and interact with North and South Korea.

Could North Korean nuclear tests trigger an eruption of Mt. Baekdu?

For understandable reasons, the international community has been focused on North Korea's nuclear program, concerned that Pyongyang could have a weapon capable of such massive destruction. But should they also be concerned about possible side effects from the nuclear tests themselves?

Our guest this week is Dr. Eunseo Choi, an assistant professor at the University of Memphis' Center for Earthquake Research and Information. Dr. Choi was part of a team of scientists who recently published an article about the chance that North Korea's continued nuclear testing could trigger an eruption of Mt. Baekdu, an enormously powerful volcano on the border of the DPRK and China.

Photo from Neil Young's photostream on flickr Creative Commons.

Follow the Money: The Cat and Mouse Game to Cut off North Korea's Nuclear Program

Last week, we looked at the details of the new US and UN sanctions against North Korea, delving into the new measures to get at Pyeongyang's funding. But will they actually work?

To get at this issue, Korean Kontext host Jenna Gibson spoke with Dr. John Park, adjunct lecturer at Harvard and afaculty affiliate with the Project on Managing the Atom at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. They discussed North Korea's recent provocations, how the international community has responded, and what North Korea has been doing to get around targeted sanctions.

New US, UN Sanctions Up Pressure on North Korea

On February 18, President Barack Obama signed into law a new round of sanctions designed to further squeeze the North Korean regime. On March 3, the United Nations Security Council followed suit, passing what many are calling the toughest sanctions in 20 years.

Experts Bill Newcomb and Daniel Wertz join host Jenna Gibson to go through the details of these new measures. What makes them so tough? Will they compliment each other or will there be points of contention? Will they actually push the DPRK to change? 

Justice Michael Kirby and the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea

Human rights in North Korea remains a divisive issue between the international community and North Korea. In 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council established Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to investigate human rights violations in North Korea.

In this episode, host Jenna Gibson sits down with Justice Michael Kirby, who was appointed to head the Commission of Inquiry and a former Justice of the High Court of Australia. They discuss the Commission of Inquiry and of the current state of human rights in North Korea.

A Conversation with TV Host and Chef Marja Vongerichten

When Marja Vongerichten was 19, she met her birth mother for the first time since being adopted at age three. The first thing they bonded over, Marja says, was food. 

In this episode, we sit down with Marja, who is the host of the popular PBS show Kimchi Chronicles and author of a book by the same name. We discuss her background, how her love of food began, how that reconnection with her birth mother inspired her cooking, and much more.

Korean American Day 2016: Chef Edward Lee

Born in Brooklyn, Chef Edward Lee always loved cooking. And after graduating from college with an English literature degree, he returned to that love and became an award-winning chef. Not only does he own successful restaurants in Kentucky and Maryland, he has also been on several major TV shows including Iron Chef America, Top Chef and Mind of a Chef.

In this episode, host Jenna Gibson sits down with Chef Lee to discuss his background, his move to the South, and his opinions on the use of the word "fusion."

North Korea's Abduction Project

In the decades following the Korean War, North Korea initiated a top-secret project to kidnap ordinary people from Japan, reeducate them, and turn them into international spies for the regime. In the late 1970s, dozens of Japanese disappeared without a trace from beaches, schools and sidewalks.

In this episode, we feature Robert Boynton, author of the fascinating new book "The Invitation-Only Zone: The True Story of North Korea's Abduction Project." Boynton spent years investigating the abduction project, interviewing the few abductees who were able to return to their homeland, and painting a picture of their lives in the North, where many were held prisoner for decades.

Korean American Day 2016: Chef Rachel Yang

Every year on January 13, the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) sponsors a luncheon in Washington, DC to mark Korean American Day and recognize the local and national Korean American community. As part of the ceremony, KEI recognizes prominent Korean Americans that have made significant contributions in their field. This year, we recognized leaders in the culinary arts, including today's guest.

Chef Rachel Yang is co-owner of three restaurants in the Seattle area: Joule, Revel and Trove. Born in Seoul, she moved to the United States as a teenager, and tries to marry these two cultures in her cooking. In this episode, we discuss Chef Yang's background, her creative process, and how her husband won her over by making kimchi.

[Rebroadcast] The Cleanest Race: An Interview with Author B.R. Myers

With Washington DC stuck in a snowstorm, please enjoy this episode of Korean Kontext originally published in 2012.

B.R. Myers is the author of “The Cleanest Race” and regular contributor to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. 

From his book “The Cleanest Race”, Myers stands out from the rest for arguing that North Korea's political system is based neither on Communism or Stalinism and that attempts to understand North Korea as aConfucian patriarchy operating within a Cold War framework are misguided.  His views have received mixed opinions from the think-tank orthodoxy.  While some regard his outlook as a fresh approach to the topic, others have rebutted his interpretation of North Korea as a national socialist country and continue to view it through the lens of cold war politics.

Join us for a fascinating interview with Myers about his feelings on the North Korea watcher community’s reception to his work, his feelings of North Korea's current situation and about the future of North-South relations.

Look Back, Look Forward: Predictions for the Korean Peninsula

Every January, KEI publishes its predictions for the 10 issues to watch for on the Korean Peninsula in the coming year. Then, in December, we revisit our predictions to see how we did.

In this episode of Korean Kontext, KEI Senior Director Troy Stangarone discusses what we got right in 2015 - and what we completely missed. He also highlights some of the predictions for 2016.

Please view KEI's 2015 review here, and our 2016 predictions here.

North Korea's House of Cards: Understanding the Kim Jong Un Regime

North Korea watchers have been trying for years to understand the inner workings of the reclusive regime. With the country launching its 4th nuclear test this week, recognizing the structure and motivations of the DPRK leadership is more important than ever.

In this episode, which was recorded prior to the nuclear test, host Jenna Gibson sits down with Ken Gause, director of the International Affairs group at CNA and author of the new book "North Korean House of Cards: Leadership Dynamics Under Kim Jong-un." They discuss Ken's research into the regime, his analysis of recent purges including the execution of Jang Song-thaek, and what to watch out for in the coming months as Kim Jong Un continues to consolidate his power.

Korean American Day 2015: NHL Star Jim Paek

Every year on January 13, the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) sponsors a luncheon in Washington, DC to mark Korean American Day and recognize the local and national Korean American community. In 2015, KEI honored Korean Americans leaders in sports. One of the honorees was Jim Paek, two-time Stanley Cup winner who was the first person of Korean descent to play for the NHL.

In this episode, KEI senior director Troy Stangarone sits down with Jim to talk about getting into hockey as a child, what it was like to play for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and how he has made the move from player to coach.

Korean American Day 2015: Olympic Skier Toby Dawson

Every year on January 13, the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) sponsors a luncheon in Washington, DC to mark Korean American Day and recognize the local and national Korean American community. In 2015, KEI honored Korean Americans leaders in sports. One of the honorees was Toby Dawson, Olympic bronze medalist and now coach of the South Korean national freestyle ski team. 

In this episode, KEI senior director Troy Stangarone sits down with Toby to talk about how he got his start in skiing, what it was like to compete in the Olympics, how he dealt with the transition from athlete to coach, and much more.

Examining the Korean Economy

In this episode of Korean Kontext, guest host Kyle Ferrier, KEI's director of academic affairs and research, sits down with Korea Society President Tom Byrne. Before joining the Korea Society earlier this year, Tom worked for Moody's Investor Services, where he was senior vice president.

Kyle and Tom discuss the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis as well as the 2008 Global Financial Crisis from the Korean economy's perspective. They also talk about sources of risk in the Korean economy today, the potential impact of the Fed raising interest rates, and much more.

Talk to Us in Korean: The Mavericks of Teaching Korean Online

It started in 2009 with a few audio lessons. Within just six years, Talk to Me in Korean has grown into a huge hit, with millions of listeners from all over the world visiting the site to improve their Korean language skills. The organization has now expanded to include video lessons, textbooks, and even a coffee shop.

In this episode of Korean Kontext, host Jenna Gibson connects with TTMIK founder Hyunwoo Sun to discuss how how he got the idea for the site, how they have dealt with its popularity, and his thoughts on teaching Korean culture along with teaching language.

The Kim Monarchy: Reframing Political Legitimacy in North Korea

Since the death of Kim Il-sung in 1994 there have been numerous predictions that the collapse of the North Korean political system would be imminent, yet the Kim dynasty continues to rule. In his new paper for KEI, Dr. Wang Son Taek argues that the reason we have been so wrong about North Korea's stability is that we need to treat Kim Jong Un more like a monarch than a charismatic leader.

In this episode, Korean Kontext host Jenna Gibson sits down with Dr. Wang to discuss his theory on the legitimacy structure of North Korea's leadership, and what this paradigm shift could mean for how we deal with the reclusive regime.

From K-pop to Kimchi: The Korean Cultural Center Brings Hallyu to DC

With the Korean Wave crashing all over the world, more and more people are getting swept up in Korean pop culture. Through taekwondo classes, movie screenings and even art exhibitions, the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, DC is working to deepen the conversation and expose fans to more aspects of the Hallyu phenomenon.

In this episode of Korean Kontext, host Jenna Gibson sits down with Adam Wojciechowicz, a public affairs specialist at the KCC, to discuss the center's public outreach, how perceptions of Korea have changed over the years, the growing popularity of Korean food in the United States, and more.

A Tale of Courage from the "Forgotten War"

On a frozen day in December, 1950, as the Korean War raged below him, Jesse Brown crash landed on a North Korean mountainside. A few minutes later, Tom Hudner followed suit, deliberately slamming his aircraft into the mountain in an effort to rescue his friend from behind enemy lines.

This heroic story is the subject of Devotion, a new book by bestselling author Adam Makos. In this episode, guest host Nicholas Hamisevicz sits down with Adam to discuss this incredible story, how he chose to tell it in his book, and the trip Adam took with Tom Hudner in 2013 back to North Korea to fulfill the promise he had made to bring his friend home.

The Human Rights of Korean Family Reunions

Starting on October 20, 2015, a group of South Koreans will have the chance to cross the DMZ to meet with brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, and other family members that they have not seen in 65 years. For this round of meetings, more than 65,000 South Koreans were eligible, but only 100 were chosen by lottery to participate. Many of them are in their 80s and 90s.

In this episode, Korean Kontext host Jenna Gibson sits down with Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director executive director of The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), to discuss this round of family reunions in the larger context of North Korean human rights. They also discuss the growing urgency to reunite families, the politicization of these meetings, and much more.

Presidential Summits: A Diplomat's Perspective

On October 16, 2015, President Park Geun Hye and President Barack Obama will hold a summit meeting, where they are expected to address a range of issues concerning South Korea and the United States. Everyone will see the final product - the handshake, the press release, the speech - but what went on behind the scenes to make this meeting happen?

In this episode, Korean Kontext's Jenna Gibson sits down with KEI Vice President Mark Tokola, a 38-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, to discuss his experience with summit meetings and what to look out for when these two presidents meet this weekend.

Friends of Korea: Witnessing Korea's Transformation

From 1966 to 1981, around 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers lived and worked in South Korea. After returning to the United States, many volunteers wanted a way to share their Korean experience. So, in the 1990s, they formed Friends of Korea (FOK), an organization dedicated to fostering cultural awareness and friendship between Americans and Koreans. FOK has since grown to include anyone interested in learning more about Korea and promoting ties between Korea and the United States.

In this episode, KEI's Jenna Gibson sits down with Nancy Kelly, president of FOK, and David Lassiter, a member of the Board of Directors. They discuss Nancy and David's Peace Corps experience and their work with Friends of Korea, including a new DVD they have produced on Korea's economic transformation over the past 60 years.

Setting an Example: The German Case as a Model for Korean Reunification

October 3, 2015 will mark 25 years since the official reunification of East and West Germany after decades of separation. Meanwhile, the Korean Peninsula remains divided. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has referenced Germany many times as an inspiration for the "unification bonanza" she hopes to foster while in office.

Can the German model provide some guidance for Korean unification? What can South Korea do now to prepare? What about the role of the North Korean regime in a unified Korea? Jenna Gibson sits down with KEI's Troy Stangarone to discuss these questions and much more.

20 Years Combatting Tuberculosis in North Korea

The Eugene Bell Foundation has been working in the DPRK for 20 years. Now the focus on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), a deadly disease that is incredibly expensive and time-consuming to treat. 

KEI's Jenna Gibson sits down with the founder and chairman of Eugene Bell, Dr. Stephen Linton, to discuss the work that the foundation has been doing to provide care to the North Korean people. They also discuss the obstacles the organization has faced so far and the long road ahead.

 

Prospects for "Vitalizing" NGO Work in North Korea

In the recent agreement between Seoul and Pyeongyang to defuse tensions along the DMZ, the two governments included a promise to "vitalize" non-governmental organization (NGO) exchanges in various fields. 

KEI's Jenna Gibson sits down with Keith Luse, the executive director of the National Committee on North Korea, to get his perspective on this agreement and the potential for greater cooperation between the North and the South. They also discuss current NGO work within the DPRK and some of the challenges that aid workers face working in-country.

Seismology and Mt. Baekdu: Science Diplomacy in North Korea

Volcanologist Dr. Kayla Iacovino traveled to North Korea in 2013 as part of a team that was collaborating with North Korean scientists to study Mt. Baekdu, one of Korea's most important historical and cultural places and the site of a huge eruption one thousand years ago. Dr. Iacovino sat down with KEI's Nicholas Hamisevicz to discuss her trip, the science behind the big eruption, and opportunities for science diplomacy.

Photo courtesy of  bumix2000's photostream on flickr Creative Commons.

Looking Back on Four Years of U.S.-Korea Relations

Nicholas Hamisevicz has been KEI's director of research and academic affairs for four years. Now, he is leaving KEI to pursue his Ph.D at Catholic University. 

But before he goes, he sits down with KEI's Jenna Gibson to discuss some of the major trends in U.S.-Korea relations that have emerged over his time working for KEI, as well as some of his predictions for the future of the partnership and the region.

Chinese PLA Media Commentaries on North Korea: Going Rogue or Staying on Script?

Within China, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is a principle stakeholder in Beijing’s policy decision-making. In recent years, PLA officials have penned some of the more interesting, and forceful, articles in the media, which in turn has fueled speculation from Western analysts about a potential shift in China’s approach to the North.

Does Chinese military commentary represent accurate and authoritative views on policy toward North Korea? Are there certain military officials or publications that we should watch closely? Do these commentaries by Chinese military officials actually influence China’s policy toward North Korea?

Researcher Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga sits down with KEI’s Nicholas Hamisevicz to discuss his analysis of these media commentaries. 

Please click here to read his recent KEI APS paper on these PLA media appearances and click here to view the July 22, 2015 program.

Making Sense of North Korea's Re-Defector Press Conferences

Over the past few years, North Korea has been holding press conferences starring so-called re-defectors – people who fled to the South and chose to return. Steven Denney and Christopher Green sit down with KEI’s Nicholas Hamisevicz to discuss their analysis of these press conferences and their place in North Korea’s information management strategy.

Please click here to read their recent KEI APS paper on these re-defector press conferences and to view the March 12, 2015 program.

Behind the Scenes of South Korea's Space Program

With the recent retirement by Yi So-yeon, South Korea's remaining astronaut, many have turned attention to Korea, wondering whether there is a future for its space program. According to Daniel Pinkston of the International Crisis Group, South Korea's space program is a necessary and integral part of President Park Geun-hye's future economic policies. Furthermore, it can and is being used used to enhance its relations with its allies. Challenges that do arise include how its space program affects the security situation in the region and whether enough data is being shared between countries to properly manage peaceful exploration and usage of space.

Please click here to read his recent KEI APS paper on South Korea's space program and to view the September 10, 2014 program.

The Humanitarian Situation in North Korea

Since the famine of the 1990s, North Korea has continued to face periods of chronic food shortages. However, the humanitarian needs of the people in North Korea extend beyond the adequate provision of food. 

Jérome Sauvage, the Deputy Director of the United Nations Development Program’s Representation Office in Washington, DC and served the UN Coordinator in the DPRK , discusses life in North Korea and the humanitarian challenges the population faces from a lack of food, potable water, electricity, and a collapsed healthcare system.

Overhauling a Nation: A Discussion on Economic Reforms in North Korea

North Korea has engaged in various forms of economic reforms and marketization attempts such as establishing Special Economic Zones and obtaining Foreign Direct Investment. Yet, many of North Korea’s current and potential investors are skeptical about investing in a country with little transparency, high unpredictability, and investor safeguards. Dr. Stephan M. Haggard of UC San Diego’s School of International Relations and Pacific Studies explains the problems and challenges, as well as the potential, of reforming North Korea’s economy. Dr. Haggard also touches upon the issue of reunification in relation to the North’s economy, and how Pyongyang’s neighbors can influence the future of North Korea’s economy.

Income Inequality: Important Economic Lessons Looking at South Korea

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Yiagadeesen Samy of Carleton University on income inequality in South Korea and its affect on Korea’s economy. Dr. Samy is an economist and an Associate Professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. He is also a Distinguished Research Associate at the North-South Institute. Dr. Samy has written an Academic Paper Series report for KEI on income inequality, and he has done previous work looking at income inequality in the other countries. Before this research on South Korea, he was examining income inequality in Brazil.

Please click here to view Dr. Samy's paper and presentation.

China-North Korea Relations: The Border Region, SEZs, and the Purge of Jang Song-taek

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Adam Cathcart of the University of Leeds and of Sino-NK about China-North Korea relations. Dr. Cathcart has just written an Academic Paper Series report for KEI examining China-North Korea cooperation in Special Economic Zones along the border and the future of the Chinese-North Korean relationship after the purge of Jang Song-taek. He also recently visited the border region between China and North Korea.

 

Articles and books mentioned in this podcast:

 

Adam Cathcart, “In the Shadow of Jang Song-taek: Pyongyang’s Evolving SEZ Strategy with the Hwanggumpyeong and Wihwa Islands,” Korea Economic Institute of America, Academic Paper Series, June 19, 2014.

http://www.keia.org/sites/default/files/publications/kei_aps_cathcart_2014.pdf

Please click here to view the video of the June 19, 2014 program with Dr. Cathcart

Australia, Korea and the Dynamics of Northeast Asia

President Obama wasn't the only leader who had to make important visits to multiple Asian countries this past April. Australia’s Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, had to make an important trip of his own to Japan, South Korea, and China. Hayley Channer, an Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who is also a Visiting Scholar at the East-West Center in Washington, DC, believes that there are some interesting comparisons and themes that can be drawn from the trips of these two leaders. In addition, she also thinks there is room for Australia to help mend Korea-Japan ties. In this episode, we discuss these ideas as well as Australia’s views of Korea and Asia.

Articles and books mentioned in this podcast:  

Hayley Channer, “Australia’s Gains in Northeast Asia Pave the Way for Obama’s Trip,” April 22, 2014, East-West Center, Asia Pacific Bulletin, No. 258, at http://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/australia%E2%80%99s-gains-in-northeast-asia-pave-the-way-obama%E2%80%99s-trip

Hayley Channer, “Manufacturing Partners: Japan-South Korea security Cooperation and Australia’s Potential Role,” Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Strategic Insight, March 2014, at https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/manufacturing-partners-japan-south-korea-security-cooperation-and-australias-potential-role/SI69Japan_ROK.pdf

Hugh White, The China Choice: Why America Should Share Power, Black Inc, Melbourne Australia, 2012.

Hugh White, “Power Shift: Australia’s Future between Washington and Beijing,” Quarterly Essay No. 39.

The Francis Effect in Asia

The Francis Effect is everywhere. Time Magazine named Pope Francis their 2013 Person of the Year, another magazine dedicated specifically to covering Pope Francis has been started in Italy, and politicians and leaders are trying to use the Pope’s messages as support for their own causes. The Francis effect will be large in Asia this year as the Vatican announced that Pope Francis will visit South Korea in August. Moreover, with the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II on April 27, this gives us an opportunity to examine the last time a Pope visited South Korea as well. 

In this episode, we talk via Skype with Father Dennis McNamara of Georgetown University, about Pope John Paul II’s 1984 and 1989 visits to South Korea, the progression of Catholicism and religion in Korea, and potential themes for Pope Francis’s visit in August. Father Dennis McNamara, S.J. is the Park Professor of Sociology and Korean Studies at Georgetown University He is also the Special Assistant for China Affairs to Georgetown University’s President. He serves as a member of the Council of Foreign Relations in New York, and chairs the weekly Korea Seminar at the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S. State Department. In Asia, he serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of International Studies at Sogang University in Seoul, and lectures at Renmin and Fudan Universities in China, Waseda and Sophia Universities in Tokyo, and Thammasat University in Bangkok.