Oct 16,2018 Alternative Scenarios

Negative Scenario I

After North Korea’s sixth and most-powerful nuclear test last September, few would have expected to see President Moon Jae-in step off a plane to embrace Chairman Kim Jong-un on the tarmac at Pyongyang International Airport. Moon’s efforts to include North Korea in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics catalyzed fast-paced shuttle diplomacy that has extended beyond the […]

Kathryn Botto
Kim Jong-un , Moon Jae-in , Panmunjom Declaration , Pyongyang Declaration , Pyongyang summit
Oct 16,2018 Alternative Scenarios

Positive Scenario I

In what is considered one of Pyongyang’s most potent propaganda events—a mass performance called the “Glorious Country”—Moon Jae-in addressed some 150,000 North Koreans, who erupted in teary applause as he proclaimed a “new era” of peace and prosperity. In his seven-minute-long speech, Moon implored the two Koreas to “end the past 70 years of hostility […]

Eun A Jo
Kim Jong-un , Moon Jae-in , Panmunjom Declaration , Pyongyang Declaration , Pyongyang summit
Jan 02,2018 National Commentaries

A South Korean Perspective

South Korea’s current president, Moon Jae-in, entered office in May 2017 with an approval rating of nearly 80%, one of the highest in the country’s modern history.  Although he won the presidential election with 13.4 million votes (or 41% percent of the voting population)1, and has maintained an approval rating between 70-80%2, Moon faces many […]

Lisa Collins
2018 PyeongChang Olympics , ld Trump , Minjoo Party , Moon Jae-in , THAAD
Oct 26,2017 National Commentaries

A South Korean Perspective

As surreal as the current talks of war between the two angry leaders are, many outsiders often wonder about the calmness of South Koreans, even while facing a belligerent northern neighbor that fires missiles, tests nuclear bombs, and repeatedly threatens a war of annihilation. It is true that Koreans have grown inured to perennial threats […]

Joon-hyung Kim
Donald Trump , Moon Jae-in , Resolution 2375 , THAAD , US-South Korea-Japan
Aug 16,2017 Country Reports

Country Report: South Korea (July 2017)

President Moon made his international debut at the summit with President Trump in Washington and at meetings with the G20 leaders in Germany. His debut was generally considered successful. On the surface, the first meeting between Moon and Trump appeared to be a meaningful one, reaffirming the solidarity of the alliance between South Korea and […]

Editorial Staff
comfort women , G20 , KORUS FTA , Moon Jae-in , THAAD , Trump-Moon summit
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

Introduction

Amid increasing uncertainties in Sino-US relations and Japan-South Korea relations, the late spring of 2017 prioritized US-ROK relations. After Moon Jae-in was elected as president, Seoul-watchers followed closely his policy and personnel decisions. In particular, they focused on their implications for US-ROK relations, as Moon awaits his first summit with Donald Trump, whose policies toward […]

Editorial Staff
comfort women , Donald Trump , FTA , Moon Jae-in , Moon-Trump summit , Sunshine Policy , THAAD , Xi Jinping
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

Moon Jae-in’s Foreign Policy & Roh Moo-hyun’s Shadow

40 days into his presidency, Moon Jae-in appointed the nation’s first female foreign minister. However, fine-tuning for policy coherence and clarity on some key foreign policy items among his advisors has yet to happen. The main discord is not about national interests, but more ideological and philosophical, regarding South Korea’s position in the ROK-US alliance […]

Lee Seong-hyon
FTA , Moon Jae-in , OPCON , Sunshine Policy , THAAD
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

The ROK-US Summit: Divide in the South Korean Media

As the summit between newly elected Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump draws closer, South Korean newspapers are sharply divided over Moon’s policy posture, its potential impact on relations with the United States and China, as well as the prospects of revising Seoul’s approach to North Korea, which may be at odds with the US approach. […]

Editorial Staff
America First , Donald Trump , Moon Jae-in , Otto Warmbier , Sunshine Policy , THAAD
Jun 29,2017 Special Forum

Moon Jae-in’s “Two-track” Japan Policy: Prospects for Success

President Moon Jae-in and his new government, launched immediately after the election results on May 9, 2017, is taking a “two-track” strategy towards Japan. For example, Moon Hee-sang, deputy chair of the National Assembly and former chair of the Japan-South Korea Dietmen’s League, who headed the special envoy team to Japan, mentioned on his way […]

Lee Myon-woo
comfort women , GSOMIA , Moon Jae-in , Revisionism , THAAD , Two-track policy