From Estrangement to Military AllianceThe war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, remains ongoing, with no end in sight. It has already lasted well beyond the four years and three months of fierce fighting in World War I. The
Introduction The September 30 announcement of the first projects under South Korea’s $350 billion strategic investment program in the United States marks a shift in the US-South Korea alliance. Starting in 1953, the relationship has largely rested on an evolving
What Is Different This Time?In his August Liberation Day address, President Lee Jae-myung announced three blueprints for peaceful coexistence between South and North Korea. The first is “inclusive peaceful coexistence,” rooted in mutual respect. The second is “stable peaceful coexistence,”
The Northern Sea Route: From Commercial Opportunity to Legal ChallengeGlobal warming is increasing the commercial potential of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), which connects East Asia and Europe through the Arctic Ocean. Compared with conventional routes through the Suez Canal
IntroductionRecent mobility between Korea and Thailand has rapidly expanded beyond short-term, tourism-oriented visits into a multi-layered pattern encompassing study, employment, long-term residence, and settlement. The resumption of cross-border movement following COVID-19 has further accelerated this transformation, suggesting that bilateral exchanges
Introduction: Beyond the Celebration of 140 YearsPresident Lee Jae-myung’s visit to France from September 6 to 9, 2026 came at an ideal moment to take stock of relations between France and South Korea. The two countries are celebrating 140 years
IntroductionThe prospects for renewed U.S.–North Korea dialogue appear to be growing, given President Donald Trump’s expressed interest in dialogue and South Korea’s efforts to create favorable conditions for a potential meeting. The Lee government has strongly supported renewed dialogue, emphasizing
Ambassador Loukas Tsokos serves as the Ambassador of Greece to the Republic of Korea. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Aix-en-Provence and a Master’s degree in Public International Law from the University of Paris I. Since
Ambassador Peter van der Vliet serves as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Korea. A career diplomat, he joined the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1990 and has extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy,
Introduction: A Paradigm Shift?The strategic environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula has fundamentally changed in at least three respects. First, North Korea has moved beyond the earlier denuclearization framework by institutionalizing nuclear weapons as a permanent component of state security. Second,
