Korea Chair Platform

The Korea Platform is an independent and non-partisan platform for informed voices on policy issues related to the United States and the Republic of Korea.

November, 2009

What's at Stake in the KORUS FTA

President Obama is headed to Asia in a week.  It is imperative that he begin to lay the groundwork for passage of the KORUS FTA.  The agreement signed by the Bush administration in June 2007, still awaits passage of implementing legislation by the Congress.  The administration has not supported the agreement because of concerns over trade issues regarding beef and automobiles.

Read the full report. 
 

October, 2009

What Do They Really Want?: Obama's North Korea Conundrum

What do the North Koreans ultimately want with their recent spate of provocative behavior?  What is often stated through the mouths of their foreign ministry officials is only a part of the Pyongyang leadership's broader goals.  The judgments that follow are also informed by the experiences and "gut instincts" of those who have negotiated with the regime over the past sixteen years.

Read the full report.
 

July, 2009

North Korea’s Hard-Line Behavior: Background & Response

Currently, there are two leading interpretations of what North Korea’s recent aggressive behavior indicates. One analysis argues that North Korea’s hard-line behavior is an external manifestation of North Korea’s internal situation, including Chairman Kim Jong-Il’s health problems and questions of his succession. The second analysis holds that North Korea is trying to exert increased pressure on the Obama administration. I believe neither interpretation is necessarily correct, and moreover, that this specific debate is somewhat irrelevant.

Read the full report.