This book considers both Koreas - North Korea and South Korea - to examine possible pathways for the years leading up to 2032 and beyond, thus offering a composite picture of Korea and its strategic relevance in Asia and the world at large. Through a combined South-North Olympic team and an effort of jointly hosting the Games, Republic of Korea president Moon Jae-in has marked the year 2032 as special in the future of the Korean Peninsula. Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed scepticism about a combined hosting of the Games, the expectation in Korea is that this event will underline the shared destiny of the people inhabiting the peninsula and realign two states still caught in an ideologically fraught civil conflict that is one of the last vestiges of the Cold War. Chapters begin with a brief historical review and analysis of the present, before moving to consider how these will shape the next decade, drawing comparative and complementary analyses. No matter how contrasting the contemporary trajectories of both North and South Korea might appear, ‘Korea’ as a singular entity is an old concept still containing great possibilities. As the ongoing inter-Korean reconciliation process underscores, the futures of North and South Korea can be found in a complementary singular Korea, which would again represent an important political, strategic, cultural, and social space in Asia. An evaluation of the future trajectory, social awareness and perception of the Koreas, this book offers a valuable contribution to the study of North and South Korea and Asian Politics.

This volume explores the possibility of North Korea's'soft-landing' as the most desirable outcome on the Korean Peninsula. The collection of essays by noted students of Asian security examines the perspectives and interests of North and South Korea, the United States, China, Russia and Japan regarding North Korea's future, including the possibility of its neutrality.

A permanent peace regime on the Korean peninsula has yet to be achieved even though the Korean War came to a halt more than half a century ago. Without a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War, the two Korean states are technically still at war. The current situation on the Korean peninsula is extremely tense and precarious, and tensions and distrust between the two Koreas and between the U.S. and North Korea escalated in the wake of North Korea's second underground nuclear weapons testing in 2009. The editors of this volume conceptually present a two-track (inter-Korean and international) approach to Korean peninsula peace-regime building. They argue that an inter-Korean and international approach should be pursued simultaneously for the construction of a permanent peace regime on the Korean peninsula. The contributing authors are established specialists and experts on Korean foreign relations and Northeast Asian international relations. As natives of the U.S., Korea, China, and Japan, they provide objective, scholarly and diverse perspectives on the Korean peace regime building.

In recent years, North Korea has been plagued by economic decline, famine, and international isolation. Due to the current situation in North Korea, there has been recent speculation about the future of North Korea. Some feel that it will collapse, others hypothesize that North Korea will gradually reform and open itself to the outside world. The 'hard landing' and 'soft landing' scenarios for North Korea future are discussed, and the argument for a North Korean 'soft landing' is made in this thesis, based on recent diplomatic events, and internal changes in North Korea. Regardless of the future of North Korea, each scenario carries with it certain implications and essential tasks for the United States Army in Korea. These implications and tasks are explored, and recommendations for detailing with the future of North Korea are put forward."--Abstract

This volume examines key issues in Republic of Korea-United States (ROK-U.S.) burden-sharing, with attention to the unique nature of the arrangement. It analyzes the security balance in Northeast Asia and future trends within the ROK-U.S. alliance.

"This book does not argue for stronger security ties among the three countries based solely on a shared understanding of the threats posed by North Korea. Nor does it look toward containment of a rising China or resurgent Russia for its strategic rationale. Rather, the authors argue for broadening the foundation on which the three nations' ties rest. A better understanding of the complex weave of interests and values that binds the United States, South Korea, and Japan will stabilize the relationships and make them more resilient and adaptable to future developments."--BOOK JACKET.

As the international security situation has changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the book examines the implication of the new security environment to the security of South Korea and how the strategic and military relations with the United States will develop. In the new era, the lack of common interests has made the mutual defence sceptical. This book suggests that South Korea should eventually develop a long-term strategy with a goal of self-reliance.

This book focuses on three main subjects: the DPRK's inability to survive as a nuclear state; the importance of China’s role in encouraging denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; and the possibility of an alternative political organization for the DPRK including a transition to a market-economy in exchange for giving up its nuclear weapons. The book approaches North Korean issues from the perspective that the regime cannot survive without nuclear weapons which, rather than being a genuine danger to other states, are bargaining chips for security and survival. The book includes views from prominent academics and practitioners, including a former British ambassador to North Korea, putting forward an ambitious set of recommendations and analyses based on hands-on experience in the region.