Policy Forum

Mikyoung Kim, Assistant Professor at Hiroshima City University – Hiroshima Peace Institute, writes, Mr. Lee leaves an impression that he rushed to declare himself different from his predecessor by ingratiating himself to our allies, and selling out Korea in the process. It is dangerous to reveal all your cards at once, given the precarious nature of international collaboration.

Leon V. Sigal, Director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project in New York and author of Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea, writes, Diplomatic give-and-take with North Korea is yielding payoffs for American and regional security. Turning the talks into a mock trial would only be a waste of time.

Read a discussion of this article here.

Michael E. O’Hanlon, Senior Foreign Policy Fellow at the Brookings Institution, writes, “Our real carrots are not taking North Korea off terrorism and enemy watch lists; doing so provides little direct benefit to the reclusive regime. The carrots are aid, trade, investment and diplomatic contact. We need a strategy for how to offer these enticements to leaders in Pyongyang.”

Read a discussion of this article here.

Leonid Petrov, Research Associate at the Australian National University, writes, “In this light, Russian-Korean relations can be seen as based on a solid footing and replete with opportunities that can benefit each of them. The new administrations in the Kremlin and Seoul’s “Blue House”, together with the new generation of leaders in Pyongyang, can radically change the political climate in the region. A simple strengthening of economic relationships between the three countries will contribute to the peaceful solution of the “Korean nuclear problem” and prepare the basis for durable peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.”

Mindy Kotler, director of Asia Policy Point (http://www.jiaponline.org), a Washington-based nonprofit, membership research center studying the US policy relationship in science, security, history, and global issues with Japan and East Asia, writes, “The U.S. alliances with both Japan and South Korea are important. However, the U.S. should not be asked to choose sides or to mediate. But neither should Washington continue its condescending attitude that this issue represents a mere emotional Asian distraction. These views are embedded in Japan’s and Korea’s politic. At some point a mere call for calm may not be enough.”

Aidan Foster-Carter, honorary senior research fellow in sociology and modern Korea at Leeds University, England, writes, “Far from being in sync with U.S. policy, at this juncture, a North-South spat is no help to Washington. Rather it risked upsetting the applecart, just when Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was trying to clinch the next stage of the long drawn out – five years, and counting – 6PT process.”

Mark Valencia, a Maritime Policy Analyst and a Nautilus Institute Senior Associate, writes, “The South China Sea situation deserves renewed attention by ASEAN and perhaps the ARF. Moving forward to an agreement on a legally binding Code of Conduct for the South China Sea has become urgent.”

Jia Xijin, Associate Professor at the NGO Research Center at Tsinghua University, writes, “NGOs in China face capacity-building problems such as how to cooperate to avoid repeated work, how to avoid volunteers themselves turning into aid targets, how to maintain social credibility, etc. Nevertheless, the government needs to make efforts to help NGOs in opening up, cooperating and securing fair treatment to improve the institutional environment of NGO’s and promote social well-being.”

Drew Thompson, Director of China Studies and a Starr senior fellow at the Nixon Center, writes, “However, a successfully managed Olympics will ensure China’s continued willingness to open its markets to the outside world and follow a progressive, constructive foreign policy. Even though some U.S. experts engaging the Chinese may feel that the level of collaboration with Chinese counterparts does not compare favorably with previous event organizers, there are no indications that the Beijing Games will not be safe. A positive Beijing Games outcome would ultimately benefit all global citizens in keeping with the Olympic spirit.”

Masahiro Matsumura, Professor of International Politics at St. Andrew’s University (Momoyama Gakuin Daigaku) in Osaka, writes, “At this moment, Washington should continue to block this aid as a matter of policy discretion through the Boards of Governors and the Executive Boards, wherein Tokyo also possesses a significant voting power to support Washington. Pyongyang will then be subjected to further economic penetration by China, involving the deepening of China’s actual economic colonization. Under these parameters, Pyongyang would be constrained to negotiate sincerely with Washington and Tokyo.”