The Korean Odyssey

*Another gloomy day in Pyongyang.   Are we truly seeing North Korea as it is?  @iStock Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University It has been over five years since inter-Korean dialogue was suspended. In relation to this, discussions are ongoing about how to forge new inter-Korean relations. Throughout this process, numerous researchers and journalists have been discussing the crisis and changes in North Korea. However, there seems to be something missing in their discussions. Can we really generalize the subject we are researching and reporting on as “North Korea”? I believe that we can no longer single out and generalize events happening in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula with the subject "North Korea." But why is that? We can no longer generalize under the name "North Korea." From my perspective, until the economic crisis of the mid-1990s, the social community in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula could be cal...

  *Ribbons of hope for reunification tied to the barbed wire along the armistice line.  @iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University August 15th marked the 79th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese imperialism in 1945. On this day, President Yoon Suk-yeol unveiled the "Unification Doctrine" that had been in preparation for two years, presenting the South Korean government's vision for unification. What exactly does Yoon's unification vision entail, and what are its limitations? What Does Yoon's Unification Doctrine Contain? In his speech commemorating the 79th anniversary of National Liberation Day, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared, "For us, complete liberation is still an unfinished task. Only on the day when the entire Korean Peninsula becomes a unified country, where the people are the sovereign in a free and democratic state, will complete liberation be realized," and thus announced the Unif...

  Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University In recent years, global conflicts and crises have continued unabated. The strategic competition between the United States and China has expanded into a global conflict structure, not just in Asia. Adding to this are the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict, making for a tumultuous international landscape. The conflict in international politics is leading to new tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Recently, the close ties between North Korea and Russia have heightened tensions on the peninsula. In June, North Korea and Russia declared a "comprehensive strategic partnership" during a summit. As North Korea-Russia relations strengthen, the strategic calculations of neighboring countries around the Korean Peninsula are becoming more complex. This article analyzes the changes in the Korean Peninsula's situation due to Russia's southward advance and explores alter...