Hyeong Jung Park, Emeritus Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), analyzes North Korea’s strategic perception in the era of “Trump 2.0” and the trajectory of Kim Jong Un’s policy toward the United States. Park argues that Kim harbors a fundamental distrust toward both Trump and the U.S., and is therefore likely to prefer a strategy that dramatizes the talks themselves as diplomatic achievements while maximizing one-off gains within a single term. Furthermore, Park suggests that Kim may consider the “overwhelming display of force” a necessary precond...

Commentary

• Hyeong Jung PARK
• April 25, 2025

Ho-ryong Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), identifies the contradiction between Trump’s personal diplomatic overtures and his administration’s formal denuclearization goals. The analysis reveals DPRK's tripartite approach to strengthening nuclear readiness—developing sea-based capabilities, enhancing anti-aircraft systems, and expanding special operations forces—while simultaneously intensifying relations with Russia. According to Lee’s assessment, prospects for denuclearization will become increasingly remote as the DPRK continues to str...

Commentary

• Ho-ryong LEE
• April 18, 2025

Leif-Eric Easley, Professor at Ewha Womans University, identifies nine theories from the academic literature on China–North Korea relations and applies them to recent geopolitical and foreign policy developments. The article examines Chinese perceptions of Kim Jong-un’s expanding cooperation with Vladimir Putin, whether Beijing is willing to restrain its provocative partners, and how sustainable a Beijing-Pyongyang-Moscow axis might be. Easley argues that a “reverse Kissinger” strategy—aimed at pulling Russia away from China and North Korea—is unlikely to succeed, and instead calls...

Commentary

• Leif-Eric EASLEY
• April 08, 2025