July 11, 2025

Jihwan Hwang, Professor at the University of Seoul, examines the pragmatic, national interest-centered diplomacy of the Lee Jae Myung administration towards North Korea, and its implications for the Korean peninsula. Professor Hwang evaluates the strategic opportunities and limitations of Seoul's inter-Korean initiatives, advocating an approach that moves beyond past ideological divisions and addresses the structural realities surrounding the Korean Peninsula. He argues that it is essential to formulate a long-term, proactive North Korean policy based on South Korea’s national power advantage and the durability of the North Korean regime

[Commentary] The Korean War and the Conflicting Visions of Four Leaders

Seong-ho Sheen, Professor at Seoul National University, analyzes the divergent political objectives of the leaders of the four countries surrounding the outbreak and development of the Korean War, and their implications. He explains that, while South and North Korea fought a total war in pursuit of unification, the US and China engaged in a limited defensive war to secure their respective spheres of influence in Korea. He highlights that the political interests of the US and China remain the most critical factor in shaping the fate of the Korean Peninsula and proposes that South Korea should play an active role in establishing a peace regime rooted in democratic principles and robust deterrence against North Korea.

Minghao Zhao, Professor at Fudan University, highlights the urgent need for strategic vigilance on the Korean Peninsula in light of a number of destabilizing factors. Professor Zhao probes the deteriorating security environment, shaped by North Korea’s military expansion, U.S.-China Strategic Competition, the repercussions of the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the shifting domestic politics. Professor Zhao offers a sober reassessment of the denuclearization impasse, critiquing past US–North Korea diplomacy and warning against returning to dysfunctional dialogue. Overall, Professor Zhao provides a nuanced Chinese perspective on this volatile regional issue, emphasizing the importance of multilateral cooperation between the U.S., China and South Korea to forge a path towards sustainable peace.