- DETERRENCE: Korea Should Go Nuclear
- DPRK: Supplying Energy Needs for the DPRK’s Special Economic Zones and Special Administrative Regions: Electricity Infrastructure Requirements
- GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Hong Kongers Protest Mainland China’s Reassertion of Control Over City
- CLIMATE CHANGE AND SECURITY: Forget the World Cup – Brazil Posts Double Win with Simultaneous Soy Boom and Deforestation Drop
DETERRENCE: Korea Should Go Nuclear, John Lee, The Korean Foreigner, May 5, 2014
After Russia’s Crimea annexation, many Koreans ask if the US is a reliable ally. Blogger John Lee suggests the ROK declare armed neutrality to defend itself against DPRK attack and Chinese predominance in the DPRK. Without the US nuclear umbrella, the ROK needs nuclear weapons. China will look the other way so long as the ROK ensures the DPRK does not become China’s problem.
- R. Zarate, “America’s Allies and Nuclear Arms: Assessing the Geopolitics of Nonproliferation in Asia,” Project 2049 Institute, Futuregram 14-002, May 6, 2014: at:
- On Strengthening Extended Deterrence for the ROK-U.S. Alliance, Park Chang Kwoun, Victor Utgoff, Joint Force Quarterly, 68, January 2013, pp, [PDF, 5MB]
DPRK: Supplying Energy Needs for the DPRK’s Special Economic Zones and Special Administrative Regions: Electricity Infrastructure Requirements. Roger Cavazos and David Von Hippel, Hanyang University Working Paper 2014-4 (April 2014)
By piecing together the trade statistics of other countries’ trade with North Korea, it becomes relative clear, from a macroeconomic perspective, North Korea appears to be moving forward. Moreover, North Korea also appears to be diversifying its trade partners, although it remains overwhelmingly dependent on trade with China – perhaps more so than ever before. A relatively strong economy is required to underpin economic strength. However, there is not yet conclusive evidence to indicate the role “parallel development” byungjin nosun /병진노선/ 平行发展 played in these developments.
- North Korea’s paradoxical upswing in trade. Nicolas Eberstadt, American Enterprise Institute (4 June 2014)
- Engaging North Korea: the role of economic statecraft. Stephan Haggard and Marcus Noland, Policy Studies, No. 59 East-West Center. (2011)
- North Korean Trade Data: Caveat Emptor. Stephan Haggard and Kevin Stahler. North Korea: Witness to Transformation blog (12 June 2014)
GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Hong Kongers Protest Mainland China’s Reassertion of Control Over City, Al Jazeera America (11 June 2014)
China has released a white paper reasserting its authority over Hong Kong, arguing that many Hong Kong residents are “confused” about the level of autonomy Hong Kong enjoys. While the paper sparked protests in Hong Kong with plans for further demonstrations, several business leaders have come out in opposition to the planned protests.
- Full text: The practice of the “One country, two systems” policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Xinhua (10 June 2014)
- China signals heavier hand on dissent in Hong Kong, Scott Neuman, NPR (11 June 2014)
- Opponents of China’s Hong Kong policy are divided, Kelvin Chan, Associated Press (11 June 2014)
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SECURITY: Forget the World Cup – Brazil Posts Double Win with Simultaneous Soy Boom and Deforestation Drop, Andrew C. Revkin, Dot Earth, New York Times blog (5 June 2014)
Granted the mediating factors, the sustainability of food supply chains is a fundamental security concern. In a complex story, a “70% decline in deforestation in the Amazon provides lessons on the importance of public policies, monitoring systems, and supply chain interventions in slowing the advance of a vast, complex agricultural frontier.” But at sea, climate change and acidification impacts “are negative on a global scale; severely so in many regions”.
- Climate change: implications for fisheries and aquaculture – Key findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report, Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge and Sustainable Fisheries (June 2014)
- Brazil’s cattle industry holds key to cut world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 26%, Global Landscapes Forum (29 April 2014)
- More than weather: the strategic importance of remote environmental monitoring capabilities to DOD, Andrew Pfluger and William Wright, Small Wars Journal (20 January 2014)
The Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly Report presents articles and full length reports each week in six categories: Austral security, nuclear deterrence, energy security, climate change and security, the DPRK, climate change adaptation and governance and civil society. Our team of contributors carefully select items that highlight the links between these themes and the three regions in which our offices are found—North America, Northeast Asia, and the Austral-Asia region.
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Contributors:
- Deterrence: Peter Hayes
- DPRK: Roger Cavazos
- Governance and Civil Society: Dyana Mardon
- Climate Change and Security: Richard Tanter