Antoine Bondaz, the Director of Korea Program on Security and Diplomacy at the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS), examines the history of the relationship between the European Union (EU) Member States and North Korea since the 1990s. The article delves into how Europe has engaged with North Korea, highlighting the role of platforms like the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and various capacity building and development aid programs led by EU’s non-governmental organizations. In doing so, Bondaz underscores the significant impact European nations have had in fostering trade, facilitating dialogue, and providing crucial humanitarian aid on both bilateral and multilateral fronts.

Ho-ryung Lee, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, explores the possibility of a conventional warfare on the Korean Peninsula by drawing comparisons with the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Based on the analysis of North Korea’s weapons and tactics, the consolidation of an anti-U.S. coalition, and the militarization of the JSA due to the termination of the 9.19 Military Agreement, Lee assesses that North Korea's capability for a surprise attack has been enhanced. As North Korea attempts to test the military readiness of the ROK-U.S. alliance by increasing strategic uncertainty and vulnerability on the Peninsula, Lee urges South Korea to bolster its defense posture while also developing measures to mitigate military tensions and uncertainties.