Inhwan Oh, Senior Research Fellow at EAI (Lecturer at Seoul National University), analyzes the strategic realignment of the United States to reinforce its maritime dominance in the Western Hemisphere and the Arctic Ocean amidst the ongoing U.S.-China maritime power transition. The author introduces the Trump administration's large-scale shipbuilding plan, the ‘Golden Fleet’ initiative, and compares the icebreaker cooperation framework, ‘ICE Pact’, with South Korea's ‘MASGA’ initiative, explaining reasons why President Trump issued the presidential waiver for the icebreakers to be b...

Commentary

• Inhwan OH
• January 22, 2026

Young-sun Jeon, Professor at Konkuk University, examines the evolution of North Korean films and dramas during the Kim Jong Un era, noting that while production volume has sharply declined, the directing and storytelling have become significantly more sophisticated. He specifically highlights that recent works focus on "counter-espionage" (bantam) narratives—centered on protecting the Supreme Leader from external threats—as a key mechanism to strengthen internal cohesion. Furthermore, Professor Jeon sharply investigates the current state of North Korean popular culture, which utilizes Cold...

Commentary

• Youngsun JEON
• January 09, 2026

Jaewoo Jun (Reseach Fellow, KIDA) probes China's strategic intention to emerge as a "polar great power" through the construction of the "Polar Silk Road" and addresses the geopolitical shifts triggered in the Arctic region. The author diagnoses that the melting Arctic caused by climate change is shifting the center of gravity of U.S. security strategy toward homeland defense, while subtle strategic tensions are arising among North Korea, China, and Russia over access routes to the East Sea, including the Tumen River estuary. Amidst this complex security environment, Dr. Jun proposes a "preempt...

Commentary

• Jaewoo JUN
• December 31, 2025