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...

  *South and North Beyond the Fence of the Demilitarized Zone.  @iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University Kim Jong-un's statement on the 'hostile two-state relationship' regarding inter-Korean relations is causing controversy. Starting from the end of last year, Kim Jong-un's remarks on the "hostile two states" have shaken not only the academic community but also the political sphere and civil society in South Korea. The unfortunate aspect is that some experts have hastily defined the 'two-state system' on the Korean Peninsula as an irreversible reality and begun to seek alternatives. I believe that we must be cautious of hasty judgments because Kim Jong-un's "hostile two states" argument differs from the process of discourse formation previously shown by North Korea. In this context, I intend to analyze Kim Jong-un's two-state theory and argue that his discourse remains incomplete. Kim ...

: Suspension of the 9.19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement by the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration is a Violation of the Armistice Agreement *The tense atmosphere at Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).  @iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University Tensions are rising again on the Korean Peninsula. South Korean anti-North Korean groups are sending leaflets criticizing the Kim Jeong-un regime to the North, and in response, North Korea is continuously sending large balloons filled with garbage to the South. In response to North Korea’s garbage balloons, the South Korean government has completely suspended the effect of the 9.19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement and is countering with the operation of loudspeakers towards the North. As inter-Korean dialogue and even communication lines are cut off, hostilities between the two Koreas are escalating, heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s Garbage Balloons are a Clear...

*North Korean middle school students are visiting the birthplace of Kim Il-sung.  @iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University “According to sources”, “according to officials”... These are expressions that commonly appear when watching news about North Korea. Are these "source-based" news reports delivering North Korea to us as it is? This article analyzes the problems of source-based news that refuse verification and raises the necessity of an information verification process. News from “sources” and “officials” that refuse verification On July 10, TV Chosun reported as an “exclusive” that the North Korean authorities had publicly executed more than 30 middle school students last week for watching South Korean dramas stored on USBs from anti-North Korean leaflets. An anonymous "government official" was cited as saying that "more than 30 middle school students who were caught watching dramas from a USB picked up fro...

*North Korean residents are paying their respects at the statue of Kim Il-sung.  @iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Human rights are recognized as the most important rights for us living in the modern era. However, human rights remain controversial for us. Depending on perspectives and perceptions, human rights can be interpreted differently or even used as political tools. This means that it is not as easy as it seems to view and protect human rights as their intrinsic value. In this article, I aim to reveal how hypocritical and deceptive the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's North Korean human rights policy is. The Strange Concept of Human Rights Under the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration U...

   Korean Drama :  A Korean Perspective on Nuclear Weapons, Negotiation, and Unification     Il Young Jeong & Rose Adams Amazon Kindle Edition  ‏: ‎January 23, 2024 ISBN: 9798218366841 Korea is known for its drama, whether it's the theatrics of North Korea's provocations or our beloved dramas and K-pop, Korea has risen on the world stage and captivated the attention of millions around the globe. Whether you come from a security background or want to know why regional tensions are so high the even BTS couldn’t avoid military service, this book aims to familiarize readers with a South Korean perspective on inter-Korean affairs, untangle recent events on the Peninsula, and discuss what "supporting role" the US might play in this world-class Korean drama. Just like Korea’s famous movies and TV shows, there is no shortage of drama on the Korean Peninsula. Unlike these shows, however, the ending remains unclear. This book endeavors to explain the plot so far...

* The United Nations members who participated in the Korean War are standing.   @iStock   Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University The Korean War did not end, but rather ‘concluded’ with a mutual cessation of hostilities. Under the armistice agreement, the Cold War endured on the peninsula with the trilateral alliance between the US, South Korea, and Japan on one side and the North Korea-China-Russia trilateral alliance on the other. While the dissolution of the Soviet Union may have ended the Cold War in Europe, the Cold War persisted on the peninsula.  In this chapter, we will look at how South Korea’s policies regarding North Korea have evolved since the end of the Korean War and how the US-ROK alliance has responded to the problems that have arisen in pursuit of these policies.   South Korea’s “Nordpolitik” Policy and the End of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union As the Cold War between the United State...