Peninsula Dispatch

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Undercurrents

Lessons and Limitations of Australia's Pacific Diplomacy for South Korea
Canberra’s web of regional security deals shows how South Korea could diversify beyond Washington within an alliance framework.
 • Gabriela Bernal
Can North Korea turn its new wealth into sustainable growth?
North Korea’s recent economic growth is real, but built on Russian cash, Chinese trade and illicit activity.
 • Gabriela Bernal
Shared Concerns Driving Closer ROK-Japan Cooperation
Common pressures are bringing Seoul and Tokyo closer together, but the foundations of the relationship remain fragile.
 • Gabriela Bernal
How the Iran Conflict is Testing an Already Strained US-ROK Alliance
While the alliance remains irreplaceable, Seoul will have to navigate it more flexibly as American priorities and plans grow less predictable.
 • Gabriela Bernal
The Iran Conflict: Implications for U.S.-North Korea Diplomacy Moving Forward
Events in Iran will likely deepen Pyongyang’s nuclear resolve and its distrust of Trump.
 • Gabriela Bernal
The 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy: Implications for the Korean Peninsula | Changing Currents
Washington recalibrates security commitments as Seoul prepares to shoulder greater defense burden
 • Gabriela Bernal
China’s Approach to North Korea in 2026: Stability, Influence, and Strategic Caution
Despite recent Xi-Lee meeting, room for expanded Chinese role in Korean diplomacy remains limited.
 • Gabriela Bernal
Can ASEAN play a greater role on the Korean Peninsula?
North Korea turns to ASEAN to diversify its partnerships, creating opportunities for the bloc to play a more active role on the Korean Peninsula.
 • Gabriela Bernal
What will it take to restart inter-Korean cooperation?
South Korea is stuck between an emboldened North Korea and a distracted United States
 • Gabriela Bernal
The Evolution of Kim Jong Un's Cult of Personality
Recent developments suggest the North Korean leader is boosting his image while placing less focus on his predecessors
 • Gabriela Bernal
The state of North Korean Women's Rights
An International Women's Day special feature looking at the state of women's rights in the DPRK
 • Gabriela Bernal
The Donald Trump administration's approach to inter-Korean relations
Could a second Trump presidency help revive inter-Korean ties?
 • Gabriela Bernal
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