In a globalized world with ever-increasing economic interdependence, economic ties have rapidly become yet another tool for states to further their agendas. They have become a source of geopolitical leverage, with states increasingly using trade, investment and access to critical
Competing Regional Visions around the CaspianKazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan: East-West ConnectivityFor much of the post-Soviet period, an implicit assumption existed that Central Asian states, including the Caspian littoral states of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, could not export energy resources without transiting
Over the past decade, Azerbaijan has turned its geography into a serious strategic asset. Sitting at the crossroads of Asia, the Caspian and the South Caucasus, it has steadily built itself into the central transit point of the Trans-Caspian International
The political crisis of December 2024 and the subsequent inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung in June 2025 constitute an inflection point in the trajectory of the Republic of Korea’s foreign policy. Under the new administration, Seoul is recalibrating away from
Korea’s Arctic engagement has become increasingly visible in recent years. The passage of the Special Act on the Promotion of Arctic Shipping Routes and Related Industries in May 2026, together with the government’s plan to conduct a pilot container voyage
Introduction The rapid melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change is creating new possibilities for maritime transportation across the Arctic Ocean. Among the emerging routes, the Northern Sea Route (NSR), which runs along Russia’s Arctic coastline, has attracted
The opening session of the Shangri-La Dialogue on May 29, 2026, captured the central tension in Vietnam’s diplomacy. Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President, spoke of a rules-based order, strategic trust, preventive diplomacy,
Beyond Recruitment: Korea’s Ambition to Attract and Retain Global TalentOver the past two decades, Korea has undergone a quiet but significant transformation in its role within global higher education. Once primarily a sender of students abroad, Korea is now actively
Geopolitical Transformation and the Emergence of Korea–Mongolia Strategic ConvergenceThe contemporary international order is increasingly characterized by intensified geopolitical competition, deepening economic fragmentation, and the strategic reconfiguration of interdependence across regions. In this evolving environment, states that do not possess the
Middle Power Constraints and Korea’s Strategic Turn to South AsiaThe contemporary international order is increasingly shaped by intensifying geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation, and the growing politicization of interdependence. In this evolving environment, middle powers face structural constraints in projecting influence