Korea
Politics
China sidelines denuclearisation to strengthen ties with North Korea
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent Pyongyang visit signals a pragmatic shift in Beijing’s policy, tacitly accepting a nuclear-armed North Korea to counter shifting regional alliances. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong tells us more.
Han Yong Hong
12 Jun 2026
Politics
Is China giving up on denuclearising North Korea?
On his first visit to North Korea in seven years, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of strategic cooperation, without mentioning denuclearisation, which used to be part of the conversation. Is the topic now off the table, or merely put aside for the time being? Journalist Kang Gwiyoung finds out more.
Kang Gwiyoung
09 Jun 2026
Politics
Seoul’s Global South turn: A blueprint for a fractured world
As US-China tensions fracture the globe, South Korea is carving out a third way. By acting as a “bridge of trust”, South Korea aims to turn solidarity with the Global South into a vital survival strategy, opines South Korean academic Kang Jun-young.
Kang Jun-young
21 Apr 2026
Economy
China leads Northeast Asia’s nuclear buildout
Is Northeast Asia’s nuclear revival a response to the Iran war crisis, or the result of deeper forces already reshaping the region’s energy future? Australian researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May ponders the question.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
16 Apr 2026
Politics
South Korea’s ‘pragmatic’ China policy in a vortex of uncertainty
Standing at the crossroads of intense great power politics, South Korea must guard its flanks in the Korea-US alliance, Seoul-Tokyo relations and most tricky of all, Seoul-Beijing relations — all against the background of volatile US-China relations. Can its “pragmatic diplomacy” stand the tests of these trials? South Korean academic Jae Ho Chung explores the issue.
Jae Ho Chung
11 Mar 2026
Politics
Should South Korea build the nuclear bomb?
As North Korea advances its nuclear arsenal, Seoul faces a stark choice: develop its own bomb, rely on US deterrence or adopt a nuclear-threshold strategy to safeguard the peninsula. South Korean academic Jaeho Hwang weighs the options.
Jaeho Hwang
10 Mar 2026
Politics
South Korea’s US pivot raises alarm for Beijing
Under President Lee Jae-myung, South Korea is anchoring its future with the US, strengthening security and economic ties while limiting strategic depth with China. Beijing faces shrinking influence as Seoul’s long-term orientation shifts westward, says academic Jin Kai.
Jin Kai
10 Dec 2025
Politics
How Sanae Takaichi mastered the politics of popularity
In her first month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has gained popularity both at home and abroad, balancing conservative and middle class support. Academic Shin Kawashima explores how her diplomacy, Abe’s legacy, and policy choices drove her approval rating to 80%.
Shin Kawashima
14 Nov 2025
Politics
Vietnam’s quiet rise: The new diplomatic bridge to North Korea
Maintaining close ties with China and Russia has always been the cornerstone of North Korea’s diplomacy. However, relying solely on these two powers is not enough to lift the country out of international isolation. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at the role ASEAN member states Vietnam and Laos can play.
Yu Zeyuan
10 Oct 2025
Politics
Pyongyang first, Trump next: China’s North Korea card in the trade war shuffle
Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to North Korea ahead of President Xi Jinping’s potential meeting with US President Donald Trump in South Korea mirrors what happened six years ago — is this a coincidence or a strategic move? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Sim Tze Wei tells us more.
Sim Tze Wei
09 Oct 2025
Economy
South Korea rewrites the rules of economic security — with new alliances
Speaking with policymakers and analysts in Seoul, academic Guanie Lim assesses that concerns once treated as discrete — national security and economic resilience — are now being considered jointly in South Korea. A greater effort is also being made to engage new and smaller friends.
Guanie Lim
18 Sep 2025