Author Archive

Symbol and Substance: China’s Scramble for Influence in the Korean Peace Process

By | May 30, 2018

Chinese pressure on North Korea during 2017 served to accelerate declining relations between the two. Now, with peace ostensibly looming, China wants to reverse course. Tom Fowdy looks at the challenges faced.

Moon’s Hedging Strategy: Foreign Policy in South Korea

By | December 18, 2017

Squeezed between Pyongyang’s nuclear trajectory, Trump and Abe’s enthusiastic pursuit of “maximum pressure,” and THAAD-induced bilateral stress emanating from Beijing, Moon Jae-in is attempting to protect not only the interests of the Republic of Korea, but also its place in the world.

Prominent Defections in 2016: How North and South Korea Responded

By | March 29, 2017

Tom Fowdy looks back at 2016, when two defections made headlines around the world. He finds that, seemingly as usual, the pre-eminent concern on both sides of the DMZ appeared to be scoring geopolitical points.