On November 28, the Bureau International des Expositions, an intergovernmental organization that manages Expos, voted overwhelmingly in favor of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, to host the World Expo 2030. Most South Koreans were shocked. They believed Busan, South Korea’s second largest city, located on the southeastern corner of the Korean peninsula, stood a fair chance. … Read more
Advertisement A year has passed since South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy was made public. Since then, the Yoon Suk-yeol government has attempted to restore relations with several other countries. The first was the United States, followed by Japan, Australia, India, the European Union and ASEAN partners, and the Pacific Island states. Subsequently, Seoul has actively participated … Read more
Advertisement Seoul’s rapprochement with Tokyo and efforts to deepen trilateral cooperation between South Korea, Japan, and the United States has garnered much of the attention in South Korea’s foreign policy this year. Less noticed, however, have been Seoul’s efforts to deepen cooperation with the Pacific Island states. Prior to the Yoon administration, diplomatic engagement between … Read more
Advertisement South Korea’s president said the international community “will unite more tightly” to cope with deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as he plans to raise the issue with world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly this week. Worries about Russian-North Korean ties have flared since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled … Read more
Advertisement South Korea is transitioning toward “strategic clarity” with its Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and its tilt toward its alliance with the United States and trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan alliances. Amid those shifts, it is clear that ASEAN would become a primary strategic focus for Seoul’s “Global Pivotal State” ambitions through the Korea-ASEAN … Read more
Advertisement Historically, South Korea has engaged in a delicate balancing act between the United States and China, with its domestic priorities oscillating between economic considerations and values. As the China-U.S. rivalry intensifies in their quest for global dominance, both countries have been exerting pressure on South Korea to pledge its allegiance to their respective sides. … Read more
Advertisement South Korea’s president says it’s time to clearly demonstrate strong international resolve to deter North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, and he plans to discuss how to cope with the North’s expanding weapons arsenal with NATO leaders this week. Yoon Suk-yeol will attend the annual NATO summit being held this year in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Tuesday … Read more