Korean Peninsula

After Trump and Putin, Xi turns to North Korea

Amid rumours of Xi Jinping visiting North Korea, analysts believe this is a calculated move by China to hold the strategic initiative and balance ties among the US, Russia and North Korea. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei finds out more.

Sim Tze Wei

[Video] Is the world entering a more dangerous nuclear era?

The collapse of the last US-Russia nuclear constraints under New START leaves the world’s nuclear guardrails in tatters, raising fears of great power friction and a renewed arms race. As limits fall away, states from Iran to North Korea are reassessing their options. With extended deterrence under strain, ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming and Yi Jina examine how this unravelling nuclear order is reshaping global and regional security.

Lu Lingming

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

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

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

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

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

Pragmatism vs power: Why Lee Jae-myung can’t pivot toward Beijing

Expectations of President Lee Jae-myung as a “course corrector” in South Korea-China relations will likely prove misplaced. This is because Lee’s constraints are structural, not personal, and they sharply narrow the room for manoeuvre, says commentator Deng Yuwen.

Deng Yuwen

A partnership with limits: Lee Jae-myung’s China reset

South Korea’s policy towards China is to manage and develop relations within the scope that does not affect the ROK-US alliance, says South Korean academic Jaeho Hwang.

Jaeho Hwang

The outlook for Korean diplomacy under Lee Jae-myung

With Lee Jae-myung elected as the new South Korean president, he has a host of domestic and international issues to deal with, including how to handle key neighbours like China. Japanese academic Tadashi Kimiya analyses what needs to be done, particularly in terms of diplomacy.

Tadashi Kimiya

Is North Korea preparing for a diplomatic offensive under Kim Jong Un?

North Korea’s reshuffle hints at a diplomatic shift, as Kim Jong Un eyes stronger Russia ties and monitors Trump’s re-election with minimal comment, Japanese academic Atsuhito Isozaki analyses.

Atsuhito Isozaki

The long-term impact of South Korea’s short-lived martial law

While the martial law crisis in South Korea has dissipated, its impact on South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s reign, as well as on the Northeast Asia geopolitical landscape, has been deeply felt. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong takes a look at the impact on the region and South Korea-US relations.

Han Yong Hong