The Impossible State

Dr. Victor Cha and two scholars from the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), Dr. Hyun-Wook Kim and Dr. Yanghyeon Jo, discussed the trilateral partnership among the United States, Japan, and South Korea, exploring whether the three countries are aligned in their strategic priorities ahead of the upcoming APEC summit in Shenzhen in two weeks.

Dr. Victor Cha and Mr. Sydney Seiler discussed the significance of Kim Jong-un’s surprise weekend visit to Dandong, China, via the New Yalu River Bridge, exploring why Kim chose to visit China at this time and what the visit means ahead of President Trump’s upcoming trip to Asia.

Dr. Victor Cha, Mr. Ankit Panda, and Ms. Jenny Town discussed North Korea’s recent missile launches, focusing on what the tests reveal about North Korea's military capabilities and the strategy behind the accelerated pace of launches.

Dr. Victor Cha, Mr. Wonchul Kim, and Ms. Jeehye Yoo discussed President Lee’s North Korea initiative, recent tensions involving the DMZ and North Korean POWs, and the broader outlook for inter-Korean relations.

Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Bonny Lin, and Mr. Sydney Seiler discussed recent developments in China–North Korea relations and the broader implications of the Trump–Xi summit for regional security and geopolitics in Northeast Asia.