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North Korea

International Diplomacy
commentary
Making Sense of South Korea's Cautious Optimism on North Korea
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Jul 24, 2018
Pacific Council on International Policy
South Korea is cautiously optimistic that North Korea will denuclearize, and it hopes that this will lead to the normalization of relations. The vast majority of U.S. observers believe that the North is bluffing. Seoul and Washington should continue to strive for transparency about the future of the peninsula.
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Japan
commentary
Success with North Korea Still Needs Japan
Jeffrey W. Hornung
Jun 27, 2018
Japan Times
Japan has stakes in the outcome of regional diplomacy involving North Korea. It could play a role far beyond simply writing checks for an agreement, but has not held any bilateral meetings with the other actors. Diplomats hoping to fit their approach to the realities of the geopolitical situation could benefit from Japan's active involvement.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Why This Wasn't Kim's Father's—or Grandfather's—Summit
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Jun 13, 2018
Reuters
This is the third time the United States and North Korea have started down a path toward denuclearization and normalization of relations. The difference now is that Trump and Kim have committed themselves earlier on in the process and more publicly than their predecessors did.
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North Korea
commentary
Difficulties Integrating North Korean Defectors Suggest Challenges in Reunifying Korea
Sebastian Joon Bae
Jun 11, 2018
The Cipher Brief
Despite expansive government aid, North Korean defectors in South Korea remain a nation within a nation, co-existent yet separate. If South Korea cannot fully adopt and assimilate 30,805 North Korea defectors, how will South Korea ever embrace roughly 25 million North Koreans in the event of reunification?
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Kim-Trump Summit Rife with Opportunity for U.S.
Michael J. Mazarr
Jun 11, 2018
The Hill
The growing costs of planning for Korean military contingencies place a burden on U.S. defense resources. If Tuesday's summit becomes a step toward eventual guarantees against aggression, the U.S. could remove a major Korean conflict from the top rungs of its defense planning roster, freeing resources for other worries.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Six Lessons for Today from Past Summits
William Courtney @courtneywmh, Michael Haltzel
Jun 5, 2018
Fox News Channel
To prepare for possible meetings with his North Korean and Russian counterparts, President Trump can learn lessons from decades of high-profile summits between U.S. presidents and Kremlin leaders.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
North Korea Is Not Like Libya
Karl P. Mueller
Jun 1, 2018
Reuters
The prospect of a U.S.-North Korea summit has led to analogies between the present case and that of Libya, which abandoned its longstanding quest to develop nuclear weapons in 2003. But a better precedent would be the 2015 deal that froze Iran's nuclear weapons program.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Canceled Summit Doesn't Spell End to U.S.-North Korea Nuclear Diplomacy
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
May 25, 2018
The Hill
President Trump canceled his June 12 meeting with Kim Jong-un but left the door open for a future one. Successful diplomacy will require tending and fostering U.S. relations with China, Japan, and South Korea while forging an entirely new relationship with North Korea.
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U.S.-European Relations
commentary
The Strategic Fallout of U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Deal
Dalia Dassa Kaye @dassakaye
May 10, 2018
The Hill
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement. What will happen next? Friction between the United States and its European allies will likely increase, while Iran moves closer to China and Russia. Also, the resentment of a new generation of Iranians toward America is likely to grow.
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Chemical Weapons and Warfare
commentary
A Norm in Crisis: Implications of Persistent Chemical Weapons Use
Natasha Lander
Apr 18, 2018
RealClearDefense
The international community should consider serious options to hold perpetrators of chemical attacks accountable and stop further attacks. These are not easy choices. But the alternative is accepting that long-held norms are crumbling, and the world is sliding back to a time when inhumane tools of war were common.
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North Korea
blog
Preparing for U.S.-North Korea Talks: Insights from Researcher Bruce Bennett
Apr 5, 2018
What are the chances that a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump will lead to meaningful progress? And what should U.S. leaders be thinking about as they prepare? RAND's Bruce Bennett discusses.
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North Korea
commentary
What Will Kim Jong Un Want and What He Might Give
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Mar 12, 2018
The Hill
Verifiable denuclearization is an impossible goal, not just because Kim Jong Un may not agree, but because such a deal couldn't be fully verified if he did. But this doesn't mean there is no deal worth making for America.
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International Economic Relations
commentary
North Korean Sanctions to Make for Interesting U.S.-China Trade Talks
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Feb 28, 2018
The Hill
With one of China's top officials arriving in Washington for trade talks, this might not be the best time to impose additional tariffs on Chinese exports, as the Trump administration has been threatening.
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North Korea
commentary
Joint Military Exercise Can Be a Bargaining Chip with North Korea
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Feb 23, 2018
The Hill
Since 1976, the United States and South Korea have scheduled large-scale joint military exercises each year. Postponing the exercises this year has led to some signs that North Korea might be open to diplomacy. Delaying the exercises further could lead to direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
At Olympics, U.S. and Korean Leaders Revive Familiar Roles
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Feb 22, 2018
Reuters
The current spate of North-South Korean diplomacy could be short-lived, giving way to resumed tensions and mounting fears of war. It seems possible, however, that South Korean President Moon Jae-in will succeed in brokering direct talks between Pyongyang and Washington.
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Cybersecurity
commentary
Why the 2018 Winter Olympics Are the Perfect Storm for Cyberattacks
Erik Silfversten
Feb 12, 2018
Wired UK
The Olympic Games could invite the most severe cyber threats to a major sporting event in recent years. The location of the games and increased connectivity, both among the public and infrastructure, make them a prime target for cyberattacks.
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North Korea

Making Sense of South Korea's Cautious Optimism on North Korea

Success with North Korea Still Needs Japan

Why This Wasn't Kim's Father's—or Grandfather's—Summit

Difficulties Integrating North Korean Defectors Suggest Challenges in Reunifying Korea

Kim-Trump Summit Rife with Opportunity for U.S.

Six Lessons for Today from Past Summits

North Korea Is Not Like Libya

Canceled Summit Doesn't Spell End to U.S.-North Korea Nuclear Diplomacy

The Strategic Fallout of U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Deal

A Norm in Crisis: Implications of Persistent Chemical Weapons Use

Preparing for U.S.-North Korea Talks: Insights from Researcher Bruce Bennett

What Will Kim Jong Un Want and What He Might Give

North Korean Sanctions to Make for Interesting U.S.-China Trade Talks

Joint Military Exercise Can Be a Bargaining Chip with North Korea

At Olympics, U.S. and Korean Leaders Revive Familiar Roles

Why the 2018 Winter Olympics Are the Perfect Storm for Cyberattacks

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