The Impossible State

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Katrin Katz to discuss the US-Japan-ROK trilateral relationship following the Camp David Summit, what to expect moving forward, and the challenges the US-Japan-ROK face in China, North Korea, and Russia.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Jill Dougherty to discuss the current state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the motivations of the DPRK following the Kim-Putin summit, and China's support for Russia's war.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Sung-Yoon Lee to discuss his recent book, The Sister, and Kim Yo Jong's prominent role both inside and outside the state.

In this episode, Dr. Ellen Kim is joined by Dr. Angela Stent and Dr. Victor Cha to discuss the second summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, the significance of the meeting at the spaceport, and the reactions of the United States and South Korea to this summit.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Sungmin Cho to discuss South Korea's role in deterring North Korea's opportunistic aggression in a Taiwan contingency and providing rear area support.

This bonus episode is from the Reviewing the Camp David Trilateral Summit Event on August 29, 2023. Dr. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council, Ambassador Cho Hyundong of the Republic of Korea and Ambassador Tomita Koji of Japan discuss the summit and future trilateral relations.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Andrew Yeo to discuss a U.S. soldier who crossed into North Korea, short-range ballistic missiles conducted by North Korea, and the newly formed NCG between the United States and South Korea.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Ms. Bonnie Glaser to discuss the relations between South Korea and China, the upcoming NATO summit in July, and the relationship between China and North Korea during the COVID lockdown.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Mr. Ankit Panda to discuss the recent North Korea's military spy satellite launch from the Sohae satellite launch site, North Korea's weapons development, and the 7th nuclear test.

This bonus episode is from Georgetown University's Asian Studies Program Event on May 5th. Dr. Victor Cha is joined by special guest Mark B. Lambert, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State for a debrief on President Yoon’s State Visit to Washington and related policy discussion.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo to discuss the recent Biden-Yoon Summit from the European perspective, Yoon's policy regarding China, economic coercion, and North Korea.

In this episode, Victor Cha is joined by Jinmyung Kim, Washington correspondent for the Chosun Ilbo, to discuss the significance of Yoon's state visit and the takeaways on North Korean denuclearization and trilateral relations with the United States, Korea, and Japan.

In a crossover episode with CSIS's The CommonHealth, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by J. Stephen Morrison, Senior Vice President and Director, Global Health Policy Center at CSIS, to discuss an update on what we know, suspect, and do not know about North Korea still in extreme isolation from the rest of the world; the status of its Covid outbreak and response; the heightened risk of famine; and the burgeoning exchange of North Korean weapons and ammunition in return for Russian food and energy.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Jenny Town and Mr. Frank Aum to discuss the incentives versus pressure debate, rethink working theories around sanctions and China’s role in negotiations, and explore how North Korea is affected by its changing external security environment.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Soo Kim and Mr. Anthony Ruggiero to discuss sanctions on North Korea, the history of sanctions, how to measure its effectiveness, China’s reaction to sanctions and ultimately answer the question of whether sanctions really works on North Korea.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ambassador Robert Joseph and Greg Scarlatoiu to discuss their recently released report for the National Institute for Public Policy regarding North Korea's current human rights situation, the Kim family regime, and the North Korean human rights movement ten years after the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the DPRK.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Mr. Christopher B. Johnstone to discuss the implications of Japan’s new National Defense Strategy for the United States and Korea, the Biden-Kishida Summit, and ROK-Japan bilateral relation.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha discusses his new Foreign Affairs essay on what the U.S. and allies should do to counter Chinese economic coercion, plus a discussion of North Korea’s latest ICBM engine test.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Dr. Chung Min Lee, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) and Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), to discuss his recent report on South Korea’s national security and defense review, and the relationship between ROK-Japan, DPRK, and China under the Yoon administration.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Professor Yasuyo Sakata, professor of international relations at Kanda University of International Studies in Japan to discuss bilateral Korea-Japan relations, trilateral U.S.-Korea-Japan cooperation and the North Korean growing threat.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Mr. Christian Davies, Seoul bureau chief of the Financial Times, to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the Korean context, North Korea's nuclear tensions, and the 2022 National Defense Strategy report on North Korea.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, professor at King's College London and KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, to discuss his recently published book, Shrimp to Whale: South Korea from the Forgotten War to K-Pop, North Korea's recent missile tests and military capabilities, as well as South Korea's response to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Jenny Town, Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and Director of Stimson's 38 North Program, to discuss Vice President Harris' visit to Korea on September 29th, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and how the war in Ukraine and the situation in Taiwan Strait affect Korean policy and North Korean calculations.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Mr. Nicholas Szechenyi, Senior Fellow with the Japan Chair and Deputy Director for Asia at CSIS, to discuss Abe's death, the implications of the Liberal Democratic Party, Japanese defense security reform under Prime Minister Kishida, as well as trilateral cooperation between the United States, Japan, and Korea.

In Session 2, " Normalization of Korea-Japan Relations," of the ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum 2022, speakers Dr. Choi Eunbong, Dr. Ellen Kim, Dr. Sheila Smith, Dr. Sohn Yul, and Dr. Yoon Young-kwan discussed ways to improve the bilateral relationship between South Korea and Japan.

In Session 1, "The Biden-Yoon Summit and Korea’s Pivot to Regional Leadership," of the ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum 2022, speakers Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Ma Sangyoon, Mr. Robert Rapson, Dr. Yoon Young-kwan, and Amb. Mark Lippert discussed the U.S.-Korea alliance, the potential cooperation opportunities, and North Korea issues.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Dr. Sung-Yoon Lee from Tufts University to discuss the nature of North Korean leadership throughout three generations, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un, as well as the rise of Kim Yo-jong, the subject of Dr. Lee's forthcoming book, The Sister.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Andrew Yeo, senior fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies at the Brookings Institution's Center for East Asian Policy Studies, and professor of politics at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., for a conversation on his latest book, "State, Society and Markets in North Korea," an overview of North Korea's market history, state-market relationships, COVID-19 impacts on markets, and reflections on U.S. policy perspective.

This special episode is from the 7th annual ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum on June 6, 2022, CSIS Korea Chair's premier international forum bringing together policymakers, experts, and officials to discuss US-ROK alliance issues. Moderated by Amb. Mark Lippert, Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, delivers a keynote address on the U.S.- ROK Alliance.

In a crossover episode with CSIS's The Truth of the Matter, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz talk about what is expected to be North Korea's seventh nuclear test and its repercussions - from our recent Beyond Parallel report.

This special episode is from the 7th annual ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum on June 6, 2022, CSIS Korea Chair's premier international forum bringing together policymakers, experts, and officials to discuss US-ROK alliance issues. Lee Geun, the president of the Korea Foundation opens the event with welcoming remarks. The Secretary to the President for Economic Security, Wang Yunjong, delivers a keynote address on economic security, supply chains, and the ROK-U.S. cooperation.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz and Victor Cha are joined by Ellen Kim, the deputy director of the Korea Chair at CSIS, and Jonathan Cheng, China bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, for a discussion on the relationship between the United States, China, and Korea, including issues related to economics, foreign policy, and the current situation in Taiwan and North Korea.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz and Victor Cha are joined by Christian Davies, Seoul Correspondent for the Financial Times to discuss the Biden-Yoon summit on May 21 as well as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, North Korea's missile and nuclear threat, and China's response to Biden's active agenda in Asia.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz and Victor Cha are joined by J. Stephen Morrison to discuss the Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea - which CSIS predicted back in March, the impact of the pandemic on the unvaccinated country, and the road ahead amidst ongoing health and food crises worsened by an extreme lockdown.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz is joined by Victor Cha and Tom Karako to discuss the implications of the current conflict in Ukraine on North Korea's missile threat. They also discuss what it means for North Korea's capability going forward and what practical steps can be taken to accomplish denuclearization.

This bonus episode is from our second Tipping Points event, The North Korean Missile Threat: Expert Roundtable. Dr. Victor Cha hosted an expert roundtable on North Korea's latest missile developments, including the current state of their ballistic missile force, and how they may have advanced their technologies so quickly. He was joined by Joe Bermudez of CSIS, Markus Garlauskas of the Atlantic Council, Ankit Panda of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Sue Mi Terry of the Wilson Center.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz is joined by Victor Cha and Joe Bermudez to talk about the new CSIS report on the Hoejung-ni missile operating base, which is located just 15 miles from the Chinese border, and will, according to informed sources, likely house a regiment-sized unit equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

In Session 3, "Trilateralism and U.S.-ROK Alliance in Indo-Pacific Region" of the ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum 2021, speakers Andrew Yeo, Alex Wong, Kim Hyun-wook, Kim Ji-young and Victor Cha discussed U.S., Japan and South Korea trilateral relations and what it means for the Indo-Pacific region.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

In Session 1, "U.S.-China Competition and the Alliance: To Hedge or to Choose?," of the ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum 2021, speakers Dr. Evan Medeiros, Mr. Randall Schriver, Dr. Kim Joon-hyung, Dr. Ma Sangyoon, Dr. Sohn In-Joo and Amb. Mark Lippert discussed the U.S.-China competition and what it means for Korea and the U.S.-ROK alliance.

In the keynote address for the ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum 2021, First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong Kun of the Republic of Korea explained South Korea's foreign policy, the ROK-U.S. alliance, inter-Korea relations and an end-of-war declaration and peace process on the Korean peninsula.

In this episode, Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Lami Kim, Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army War College, and a CSIS-USC U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholar for a conversation on their recent op-eds in Foreign Affairs and War on the Rocks, military buildup under South Korean president Moon Jae-in, and options for dealing with the North Korean crisis. Dr. Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/north-korea/2021-09-22/last-chance-stop-north-korea Dr. Lami Kim, War on the Rocks: https://warontherocks.com/2021/09/a-hawkish-dove-president-moon-jae-in-and-south-koreas-military-buildup/

In this episode, Victor Cha is joined by Amb. Robert King, the former special envoy for North Korean human rights, and Mr. Lindsay Lloyd, Bradford M. Freeman Director of the Human Freedom Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute for a conversation on North Korean human rights.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.

On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi Terry with violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment alleges activities that took place, in part, during a period in which Ms. Terry was employed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS is not a party to this litigation and takes the allegations seriously. CSIS maintains strict policies to ensure full compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the intellectual independence of its scholarship. In light of these serious allegations, CSIS cannot verify the independence of the scholarship of this material containing the views of Ms. Terry and has therefore archived this content pending the resolution of the charges.