Posts tagged ‘South Korea’
Publication entitled “Living with North Korea without Kim Jong Il: A South Korean Perspective”, by Kim Tae-Woo of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU). Read more
On 2 January 2012, the Wall Street Journal ’Korea Now‘ blog carried a short post on key Republican presidential candidates’ views regarding Korea.
It noted that there was a degree of disinterest in Korean affairs in the lead-up to the 2008 and suggests that it is again unlikely to be a major issue unless tension once increases substantially.
On 19 December 2011, the Korea Stock Exchange Index (KOSPI) fell 4.2 percent on news of the death of Kim Jong-Il and ended the day 3.43 percent down. On 20 December 2011, the KOSPI traded modestly higher following gains from the technology and the automobile producer sector with the majority of analysts forecasting additional support for the market on 21 December 2011.
A new article in the journal International Security by Bruce W. Bennett (Rand Corporation) and Jennifer Lind (Dartmouth College) entitled “The Collapse of North Korea: Military Missions and Requirement” (may require login) adds to the debate on the lack of preparation for the sudden collapse of North Korea.
The article focuses on military preparedness and the potential missions required. Importantly, it also highlights the lack of preparation in several key areas, including the lack of multilateral planning; the limited consideration of potential collapse in contemporary South Korean defence planning and the need to reform the South Korean reserve structure; and the need to establish more links with North Korean military and government officials. The article is the result of a comprehensive consultation process involving some of the best contingency planning resources.
On 17 November 2011, the South Korea-Indonesia defense relationship received a strong boost with President Lee and President Yudhoyono holding talks on defense industry cooperation and agreeing to strengthen ties. However, there are emerging issues that will present challenges to the relationship.
President Lee Myung-Bak’s visit to Hawaii for the APEC Leaders’ Summit 2011 will involve some awkward moments. However, these moments may also reflect a sign that South Korea is about to lose the momentum it has gained in trade liberalisation.
On 8 November 2011, Yonhap News reported that South Korean authorities confirmed they hold no intelligence that North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Il, has died. Rumors of the death of Kim Jong-Il are thought to have affected South Korean financial markets throughout the day.
On 3 November 2011, several South Korean media outlets have released articles highlighting research by the Russian Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), which contends Korean unification will occur by 2020.
On 4 November 2011, leading South Korean daily newspapers carried reports on the use of Social Network Services (SNS) during the Seoul mayoral elections. Both The Hankyoreh and Chosun Daily newspapers highlighted the fact that SNS, in particular Twitter, were a prominent feature of the mayoral elections, contributing to voter turnout, a high youth vote, and ultimately, the progressive victory.
On 11 October 2011, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) announced that it had begun final-phase negotiations with the Republic of Indonesia Government on the construction and sale of three Type-209 submarines. However, on 26 October 2011, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported that Turkish procurement officials believed the DSME announcement to be premature.
