Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE It is the 73rd anniversary of the Armistice Agreement. Since the sound of war shelling ceased on the Korean Peninsula, enough time has passed for a person to be born and grow old. During this time, countless events and incidents have been engraved into the tree rings of division between the South and the North

Dr. Yangmo Ku, our Center's Affiliated Research Fellow and Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of the Peace and War Center (PAWC) at Norwich University, has recently published a new book, Nuclear North Korea: Strategy & Practice from the Korean War to the New Cold War.

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE NK News Op-ed by Dr. Kiho Han (July 15, 2026) (There might be a paywall for this op-ed.) (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the center.)

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE On June 8, North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un personally greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping upon his arrival at Pyongyang Sunan Airport. When large portraits of the two leaders hung side by side in Kim Il Sung Square, the international community took notice of the highest level of close protocol, a reenactmen

Dr. Kangkook Lee is Professor of College of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE As of June 19, 2026, the exchange rate of the Korean Won against the US Dollar stands at 1,523 won per dollar, based on the Bank of Korea's buying and selling rates. At the beginning of the year, the exchange rate was 1,435 won per dollar, but it has been steadily rising since then. Typically, a sharp rise in the exchange rate signifies a shortage o

Dr. Kangkook Lee is Professor of College of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE Nikkei Asia Op-ed by Dr. Kangkook Lee (June 1, 2026) (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the center.)

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE The match began at 7 p.m. on May 20 amidst rain falling at a rate of 40mm per hour. While watching the fierce battle unfold, I encountered hybrid emotions unlike anything I had experienced before. Where did that internal turmoil come from, and how did it reach my personal senses? This question was significant

Dr. Kangkook Lee is Professor of College of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE On the morning of May 12, the KOSPI index plummeted by 5 percentage points in an instant. Having risen to 7,999 with the 8,000 mark in sight, the index plunged to the 7,420s before recovering to close at 7,643. While stock markets in other Asian countries also declined at a similar time due to news of a potential renewed escalation of the U.S.-Iran

Dr. Kangkook Lee is Professor of College of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE In my previous post, I wrote that the U.S. economy is taking on a "K-shape," but what about the Korean economy, the literal originator of the K? Looking solely at economic growth, the Korean economy in 2026 appears to be entering a boom phase thanks to a significant increase in manufacturing exports led by semiconductors. The economic growth rate is

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE NK News Op-ed by Dr. Kiho Han (May 13, 2026) (There might be a paywall for this op-ed.) (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the center.)

Dr. Kangkook Lee is Professor of College of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE The expression describing the recent U.S. economy is the letter 'K.' It is not the K for Korea, but a K signifying that the gap is widening in the shape of a K. In October 2025, The New York Times published an article stating that while the wealthy saw a significant increase in consumption alongside rising stock prices, the lives of the low-income c

Dr. Kangkook Lee is Professor of College of Economics at Ritsumeikan University in Japan and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its Fiscal Monitor report on April 16, South Korea's conservative media unanimously poured out reports warning of national debt. One media headline read, “IMF warns Korea… Government debt to exceed 60% in 3 years.” South Korea was classified as a country with a significantly rising debt ratio, and

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE The Middle East crisis, which erupted following the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, is now entering its third month. It has been two months that felt like two years. Rising international oil prices are causing significant inconvenience to the daily lives of citizens, leading to inflation, s

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE Asia Times Op-ed by Dr. Kiho Han (April 21, 2026) (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the center.)

Dr. Jongkun Choi, Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Yonsei University and Advisory Board member of CUKPE Dr. Jongkun Choi emphasized in an interview with the Seoul Economic Daily on the 6th that “in the face of a complex crisis, Korea must move beyond passive responses and maximize its national interests through strategic diplomacy that simultaneously utilizes alliances and regional networks.” (This article was published as an interview with Jongkun

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE Last Wednesday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko became the first head of state to visit North Korea. Now that the Middle East crisis shows signs of becoming protracted, why did North Korea invite the leader of an Eastern European country, located over 6,500 kilometers away, to Pyongyang? The Russo-U.

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE One of the most frequently used metaphors in inter-Korean relations these days is the "eye of a needle." President Lee Jae-myung has used this metaphor repeatedly to promote a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations. The Lee Jae-myung administration's Korean Peninsula policy centers on peaceful coexistence. Roo

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE NK News Op-ed by Dr. Kiho Han (February 12, 2026) (There might be a paywall for this op-ed.) (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the center.)

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE The international community has been in turmoil since the beginning of the year , starting with the Tears of Kursk and the "Blood Pact" bill . The ouster of Venezuelan President Maduro, initiated by President Trump's orders, followed by intensified anti-regime protests and large-scale bloodshed in Iran, and

Dr. Kiho Han, Director (Associate Professor) of the Research Laboratory at the Ajou University Institute for Unification Studies and Affiliated Research Fellow at CUKPE Asia Times Op-ed by Dr. Kiho Han (January 14, 2026) (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official stance of the center.)