Public Opinion
THAAD and the Politicization of Missile Defense in South Korea
THAAD is a hot issue in South Korea today. There is conflict over the safety of the system, as well as popular anger at the government’s failure to consult the public at either the local or national level prior to announcing THAAD deployment. This has reinvigorated concerns over the relationship between democracy and the core tenets of the US-ROK alliance. Darcie Draudt investigates.
Kim Jong-un, Jeremy Corbyn, and the Trident Debate
At a recent Parliamentary debate in London, North Korea was raised time and again as justification for the renewal of Britain’s submarine nuclear deterrent. Adam Cathcart parses what it means for the besieged opposition Labour Party, and peers into shadows of Korean War destruction for the Conservatives.
North Korean Nationalism: Lessons from Pyongyang
What is North Korean nationalism? Is it the same as the South Korean variant? In a new essay, Steven Denney pauses to reflect on a recent trip to the DPRK, and considers the answers to both of these questions.
That Which Divides Us: Filibusters, Security Bills, and the NIS
This week, the Minjoo Party used a parliamentary veto — the filibuster — to stall voting on a controversial anti-terrorism bill. Steven Denney examines the process by which the bill was nearly brought to a vote, and looks at polling data on what people thought of the opposition tactic.
Wang Haiyun and China’s North Korean Contingency Scenarios
An op-ed by a retired PLA General in Shanghai urges preparation for all-out war around Korea. What signals does this send? Also, reflections on Xi Jinping’s heavy hand and the North Korea discourse.





