Politics
These Bloody Ties: A Review of “The Unloved Republic” by Brian Myers
In a new essay, James Constant reviews the latest book by one of the boldest writers in Korean Studies, B.R. Myers. The fundamentals of South Korean state identity are tabled for discussion.
Weak Parties Are No Problem for South Korean Partisans
New research demonstrates that partisan and ideological affiliations retain influence in voter preferences in South Korea, despite the country’s weak party system.
Debates and Sentiment toward the National Security Act in South Korea
South Korea’s National Security Act is contentious for its restrictions on political freedoms under the guise of national security. New research indicates that law remains due to legislative inertia and public recognition of security needs, with proposals for revisions far more popular than outright abolition.
Free to be Controlled: Press and Protest under Park Chung-hee
A review of two recent works examining the role of the media and the development of protest culture in South Korea during the Park regime.
The ROK-US Alliance and Great Power Tensions
Anthony Rinna looks at the future for Seoul in a challenging century: reliant on China for its economic wellbeing and the US for its security, the DPRK may end up being the least of its problems.