The Northern Sea Route: From Commercial Opportunity to Legal ChallengeGlobal warming is increasing the commercial potential of the Northern Sea...
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SIGA’s Korean Affairs program examines political, economic, and security developments of Korea and it's role in global governance. The program also explores internal political transformations and their external implications.
Through policy-relevant research, SIGA aims to contribute to understanding Korea's evolving position in international affairs.
Soft Power and Human Mobility between Korea
IntroductionRecent mobility between Korea and Thailand has rapidly expanded beyond short-term, tourism-oriented visits into a multi-layered pattern encompassing study, employment,...
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From friendship to strategic partnership: The significance
Introduction: Beyond the Celebration of 140 YearsPresident Lee Jae-myung’s visit to France from September 6 to 9, 2026 came at...
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U.S.–DPRK Dialogue: Prospects, Challenges, and South Korea’s
IntroductionThe prospects for renewed U.S.–North Korea dialogue appear to be growing, given President Donald Trump’s expressed interest in dialogue and...
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Interview with the Ambassador of Greece to
Ambassador Loukas Tsokos serves as the Ambassador of Greece to the Republic of Korea. He holds a degree in Law...
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Interview with the Ambassador of Netherlands to
Ambassador Peter van der Vliet serves as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Korea....
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Stopping North Korea’s Nuclear Expansion: The International
Introduction: A Paradigm Shift?The strategic environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula has fundamentally changed in at least three respects. First, North...
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North Korea’s Nuclear Expansion: A Growing Concern
The North Korean nuclear dossier is generating growing concern across the Western world and more recently Italy has expressed the...
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A Credible Deterrent Will Ensure Peace in
The history of Western and South Korean efforts to stop and eventually dismantle the North Korean programs aimed at creating...
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Stopping North Korea’s Nuclear Programme: Why It
A Harder Moment for the Korean PeninsulaPeace on the Korean Peninsula depends on one thing above all. North Korea has...
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The Voyage of PanStar Acro: Legal Challenges
The Importance of the Arctic Ocean and the PanStar Acro’s ChallengeAs Arctic glaciers rapidly melt due to climate change and...
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Europe’s distinctive contribution to peace and security
Tensions continue to be high on the Korean Peninsula. The presence of large-scale military forces and nuclear weapons threatens regional...
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Engagement without Endangerment: Italy’s Indo-Pacific Turn and
Introduction: The Mediterranean Reaches the PacificIn 2024, the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour led a strike group on a 158-day deployment...
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When Digital Regulation Becomes a Trade Dispute:
IntroductionDigital regulation is increasingly becoming a trade issue between the United States and its major partners. Rules once discussed mainly...
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Interview with Bulgaria’s Ambassador to the Republic
Ambassador Petar Kraytchev has served as Bulgaria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea since April 2024. A career diplomat, he...
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Interview with European Union Ambassador Ambassador
Ambassador Ugo Astuto has served as the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Korea since September 2025. A career...
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Canada’s Submarine Choice: What It Means for
On 6 July 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) had been selected as...
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Turkish–Korean Ties Deepen in the Age of
Türkiye and South Korea have long described each other as “brother countries” due to their historical ties and shared memories....
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Korea Builds a Halal Export Strategy for
The rapid expansion of the Korean Wave has significantly increased global demand for Korean food products. Indonesia, as the world’s...
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South Korea’s Rise as a Global Defence
South Korea has become one of the world’s leading arms exporters. During 2021–25, it accounted for around 3 per cent...
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How K-Beauty Became a Global Export Power
In 2025, South Korea’s cosmetics exports reached a record $11.4 billion, making the country the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter after...
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How South Korea Turned K-Pop into Economic
K-pop, once a niche domestic entertainment industry, has become one of South Korea’s most prominent cultural exports. Its economic impact...
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Beyond the Bloc: South Korea, France, and
South Korea’s foreign policy has long been shaped by a structural tension that no administration has fully resolved. The tension...
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K-Defense 2.0: Recasting Korea’s Arms-Export Strategy –
IntroductionOn 6 July 2026, at HMC Dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine...
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Interview with the Ambassador of Sweden
Ambassador Karl-Olof Andersson has served as Sweden’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea since August 2024. He holds degrees in...
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Interview with the Ambassador of Austria
Ambassador Eva Marie Russek has served as Austria’s Ambassador to Korea since September 2025. She studied law in Graz, worked...
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Managing Risk, Building Resilience: Korea-EU Cooperation in
In a globalized world with ever-increasing economic interdependence, economic ties have rapidly become yet another tool for states to further...
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Pragmatism over Pivot: How South Korea’s New
The political crisis of December 2024 and the subsequent inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung in June 2025 constitute an inflection...
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Beyond Access and Security: Policy Acceptability in
Korea’s Arctic engagement has become increasingly visible in recent years. The passage of the Special Act on the Promotion of...
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South Korea and Arctic Shipping Routes: Energy
Introduction The rapid melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change is creating new possibilities for maritime transportation across...
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Between Staying and Leaving: The Unfinished Journey
Beyond Recruitment: Korea’s Ambition to Attract and Retain Global TalentOver the past two decades, Korea has undergone a quiet but...
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Institutionalized Interdependence and Korea–Mongolia Cooperation in a
Geopolitical Transformation and the Emergence of Korea–Mongolia Strategic ConvergenceThe contemporary international order is increasingly characterized by intensified geopolitical competition, deepening...
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International Law as Strategic Infrastructure: Korea and
Middle Power Constraints and Korea’s Strategic Turn to South AsiaThe contemporary international order is increasingly shaped by intensifying geopolitical competition,...
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The Evolution of Azerbaijan–South Korea Energy Partnership
IntroductionAs global energy systems undergo rapid transformation driven by decarbonization pressures, technological innovation, and shifting geopolitical alignments, energy-producing states are...
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The Upcoming 11th Korea–EU Summit: Strategic Significance
The Strategic Significance of the Korea–EU SummitThe reality that yesterday’s allies are turning into today’s adversarial partners is emerging due...
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From Exports to Allied Industrial Capacity: The
Introduction: Beyond the Arms Export StoryKorea’s defense industry has spent the past three years moving from being a notable arms...
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Constructive U.S.–China Engagement with North Korea as
Beyond the Denuclearization–Engagement BinarySouth Korea’s diplomacy toward North Korea has long been trapped between two familiar but insufficient choices. One...
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Rethinking Social Security Cooperation in Italy–South Korea
IntroductionBilateral social security agreements are essential in today’s globalized world to guarantee expatriates’ welfare, facilitate international labor mobility, and promote...
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Beyond the Factory Model: Korea, Vietnam, and
President Lee Jae-myung’s April 2026 state visit to Vietnam was framed by a rare symmetry of diplomatic timing. General Secretary...
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South Korea as an Arctic Enabler: A
The Strategic Weight of Diplomatic DiscourseIn international relations (IR), the language states use to describe their role — the frames,...
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Deepening the Korea–Bulgaria Strategic Value Alliance amid
IntroductionAs Korea and Bulgaria mark the 36th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026, their bilateral ties are entering a new...
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Digital Regulation Between Allies: South Korea– EU
Introduction: The Geopolitics of Digital RegulationThe politics of digital regulation has become one of the clearest examples of how economics,...
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President Trump’s Squid Game: The Korean Nuclear
IntroductionThe Korean nuclear debate has been among the hidden political taboos in the Korean political agenda and inter-Korean relations for...
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Beyond Deadlock: Environmental Cooperation as a Pragmatic
Cooperation in an Age of TensionThe Korean Peninsula today is defined by a paradox. Political and military tensions remain deeply...
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