WebMemo posted June 20, 2006 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
A North Korean Missile Test: Implications for the U.S. and theRegion
According to international intelligence reports, for the last
five weeks, North Korea has been steadily moving towards a test
launch of the Taepodong 2, an intercontinental ballistic missile
(ICBM) with a range up to 6,000 kilometers - enough to reach
Alaska. Satellite intelligence reveals that Pyongyang has loaded
booster rockets onto a launch pad in…
WebMemo posted June 15, 2006 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Round One of the U.S.-ROK FTA Talks Sails Through
The United States
and the Republic of Korea (ROK) took an important step forward last
week to strengthen their ties and promote prosperity in the two
nations. The successful completion of the first round of
negotiations for the US-ROK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) marks the
beginning of a…
WebMemo posted June 2, 2006 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Local Elections in the ROK: What It Means for the U.S.
In nationwide
local elections held on May 31 in South Korea, the main opposition
Grand National Party (GNP) achieved an overwhelming victory. It won
11 of 16 provincial governor and major city mayor seats, including
Seoul's, by a large margin. The ruling Uri Party's resounding
defeat is a…
Executive Memorandum posted March 2, 2006 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
A Bumpy Road for the U.S.-ROK Free Trade Agreement
After much
anticipation, the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK or
South Korea) announced on February 4 the commencement of
preliminary negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
This announcement was heralded on both sides of the Pacific as
a milestone in elevating the relationship between the…
WebMemo posted November 15, 2005 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Bush's APEC Trip: Strengthening Ties in Asia
President George
W. Bush travels to Asia this week to participate in the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit in Busan,
South Korea. His attendance at APEC and his visits to Japan, China,
and Mongolia are an important statement of U.S. foreign policy
priorities and goals in the…
WebMemo posted September 21, 2005 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Cautious Optimism for the Six-Party Talks
The fourth round
of the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear
weapons programs finally concluded in Beijing on September 19th
with a Joint Statement adopted by all the parties. While supporters
and critics alike will be tempted to begin their congratulations
and recriminations now, temperance, combined with cautious optimism
for the future of…
WebMemo posted September 15, 2005 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Going Postal in Japan: A Mandate for Reform
On September 11,
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's ruling Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) won a landslide victory in general
elections, creating the largest LDP majority in the Lower House
since 1986. Japan's Upper House had rejected Koizumi's proposal to
privatize the postal office, including its saving and insurance
systems, precipitating this early election and now…
Backgrounder posted July 25, 2005 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Including South Korea in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program
Most Americans would be
surprised to learn that one of the most troublesome issues for
South Korean citizens with the United States is not growing
tensions about North Korea's illicit nuclear weapons program, but
that the Republic of Korea (ROK) is not included in the U.S. Visa
Waiver Program (VWP).…
WebMemo posted July 22, 2005 by Baker Spring, Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
U.S. Strategy For the Six-Party Talks
After a 13-month
boycott, North Korea has finally agreed to return to the Six-Party
Talks, which will resume on July 25th in Beijing. First convened in
September 2003, the Talks, which bring together the United States,
China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Russia, have completed
three sessions so far without finding a diplomatic…
WebMemo posted July 8, 2005 by Balbina Hwang, Ph.D.
Rice's Trip to Asia: Seeking Coordination on North Korea
On July 8,
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will depart for a five-day
whirlwind trip through China, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.
During her visits to the three Northeast Asian capitals, Rice will
likely seek to improve coordination before the Six-Party Talks to
resolve North Korea's nuclear situation resume, most likely
sometime in the next…