Kyung-young Chung, Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Hanyang University, defines the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the U.S. to the ROK as an absolute necessity for Korean national survival. Chung underscores that the expeditious transition of OPCON would eliminate North Korea’s arrogance toward ...

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 lik...

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, enhanc...

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 re...

Ihn-hwi Park, Professor at Ewha Womans University, emphasizes the urgent need for U.S.–ROK policy coordination at the presidential level on the North Korean issue, which has evolved beyond the peninsula to become deeply embedded in the global security architecture. He argues that the South Korean president’s central role in inter-Korean policy,...

Jihwan Hwang, Professor at the University of Seoul, examines the impact of President Trump's "America First" foreign policy on U.S.-DPRK relations, highlighting the risks of “unstrategic impatience.” While Trump has expressed interest in direct engagement with Kim Jong Un, his transactional approach and shifting priorities raise concerns about ...

Dong Ryul Lee, Chair of EAI’s China Research Center and Professor at Dongduk Women’s University, examines the evolving North Korea-China relationship under the second Trump administration. He argues that while Pyongyang seeks stronger ties with Beijing amid deepening cooperation with Moscow, China remains cautious, balancing its strategic inter...

Won Gon Park, Chair of EAI’s Center for North Korea Studies and Professor at Ewha Womans University, explores the potential for leadership collapse in North Korea under Kim Jong Un. He identifies three key challenges to regime stability: the expansion of marketization weakening state control, the erosion of ideological legitimacy among younger ge...

Sang Ki Kim, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, assesses that inter-Korean relations have reached their lowest point in 2025, largely due to DPRK’s “Two Hostile States” doctrine. Kim attributes the shift in DPRK’s ROK policy to several factors, including the perceived power imbalance between Seoul and Pyongya...

Nilay Tavli (PhD student, Hanyang University) and Kyung-young Chung (Professor, Hanyang University) examine the evolving nature of North Korea's unconventional warfare tactics, focusing on the regime's recent use of balloon provocations and the resultant psychological threats to South Korea. They recommend Seoul enhance its defense capabilities and...