China
ké cast S2 E4: Being Ethnic Korean in China
With a unique cultural and geographical history going back centuries, Joseonjok are considered too different to be fully Chinese in China while simultaneously “not good enough” as Koreans to fit in in South Korea. In this conversation, writer Eddie Park joins host Andre Goulet to discuss his recent
N. Korea's Olympics Proposal Undermines U.S. Hawks
At a scholarly conference on international politics and security I attended early December in the U.S., many an opinion was proffered on the state of geopolitics in Northeast Asia. But one dominant view, expressed at least privately by a number of scholars, was that the Donald Trump administration is
Why Does China Hate THAAD So Much?
THAAD is a useful acronym to know if you’re interested in the geopolitical tensions in East Asia. The deployment of the U.S.’s Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea caused a sudden transformation of Korea’s relationship with China, its neighbor and number one
Why Does Japan Have a Bad Relationship With Neighbors?
At first glance, China, Japan and South Korea seem to have a lot in common. They’re located in the same geographical region, all have traditions of writing with Chinese characters and all of them have certain social norms influenced by Confucian teachings and concepts. In the modern era, all
The Myth of S. Korea’s World-beating Nuclear Energy Exports
“Mommy, can I go and play by the nuclear power station?” — The above promotional image is from the website of KEPCO, South Korea’s largest energy provider. This autumn, South Korean media and netizens were busy arguing out the pros and cons of building new
Could Korean War II Drag in the World's Superpowers?
This article is meant to offer an answer to the following question posted on Quora: “Who would win in this war: the USA, the U.K, Japan, and South Korea vs Russia, China, and North Korea?” Without hyperbole, this has the potential to become a war to end
A Delicate Balance: Moon Seeking a New Path in Beijing
The most sensational news to come out of President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to China this week is a reported incident of two South Korean photo journalists getting beat up by Chinese security guards while Moon was attending a trade event in Beijing Thursday morning. Grainy footage of suited
"Don't Speak in Korean": When Koreans Travel to North Korea
Only a few minutes after arriving in Dandong, a Chinese city that borders North Korea, my assumptions about travel to North Korea were abruptly shattered. I was told by a Chinese employee of the tour company that it would not be wise to, while in North Korea, speak Korean or
Cherry Blossom Politics: South Korea Vs. Japan
As cherry blossom petals herald the beginning of spring, typical spring routines return to South Korea, as South Koreans shed their winter clothes and hum a quintessential spring song by Busker Busker, “Cherry Blossom Ending.” But something else routinely comes back when spring is in the air: a controversy
Seoul Had the Second-Worst Air Quality in the World This Morning
Early this morning, Seoul had the second-worst air quality in the world, after New Delhi. According to AirVisual, an air quality monitoring site, things improved somewhat in Seoul as time went on. But as of noon local time, the South Korean capital was still in 8th place for terrible
China Travel Clampdown Empties South Korea's Myeongdong
Myeongdong, a downtown Seoul shopping district typically packed with tourists, was unusually quiet on Wednesday. For the last few years, the area has drawn an unending torrent of Chinese tourists. Most street signs and signboards are written in Korean and Chinese — sometimes only
China’s THAAD Revenge List
K-pop, Jeju Island, and Lotte candy — what do they all have in common? They’re all subject to China’s economic retaliation against South Korea over the decision to install Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), a U.S-made missile defense system. Tensions keep rising, ranging from a recent