South Korea’s Offensive Military Strategy and Its Dilemma

By |2024-03-01T16:15:44-10:00March 1st, 2024|Categories: Faculty Articles, External Publications, news, Cho|Tags: , , |

Dr. Sungmin Cho’s article, recently published by CSIS, sheds light on South Korea’s offensive military strategy amid shifting dynamics with North Korea. While North Korea’s recent stance has sparked debates, Cho highlights the significance of understanding South Korea’s approach. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik’s emphasis on immediate and forceful responses underscores South Korea’s defensive intent, though uncertainties remain regarding Pyongyang’s perceptions and the management of escalating risks. Cho delves into the evolution of South Korea’s offensive doctrine, notably its "three-axis system," illustrating the nation’s reliance on advanced capabilities to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat. However, concerns arise regarding the legality and [...]

Chinese Views of North Korea’s Uncertain Future

By |2023-10-20T13:51:10-10:00October 20th, 2023|Categories: Courses, news, Cho, Media|Tags: , , , |

Dr. Sungmin Cho, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, presented research during a program organized by The Korea Society. The research analyzed Chinese texts focusing on North Korea's regime stability, the country's uncertain future, and the potential unification of the Korean Peninsula. The research encompasses a review of 62 Chinese journal articles and 29 expert commentaries written by Chinese scholars. Cho explains how examining the writings of Chinese civilian scholars helps decipher Chinese strategic thinking despite censorship. Cho also provides an analytic framework for Beijing’s cost-benefit calculus regarding the potential unification of the Korean [...]

Dr. Sungmin Cho Discusses South Korea’s role in a Taiwan Contingency on the CSIS Podcast

By |2023-09-21T16:20:18-10:00September 21st, 2023|Categories: Courses, news, Cho, Media|Tags: , , |

DKI APCSS professor Dr. Sungmin Cho recently appeared on the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) podcast titled "South Korea's Role in Taiwan Contingency." The popular podcast can be found on YouTube. Dr. Sungmin Cho is a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) in Honolulu. The views expressed are those of the author alone and do not represent the official policy of the DKI APCSS, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

South Korea Needs a Drone Strategy

By |2023-08-18T12:20:33-10:00August 18th, 2023|Categories: Faculty Articles, Kim, External Publications, news|Tags: , , |

Dr. Lami Kim’s OpEd “South Korea Needs a Drone Strategy” was recently published in the National Interest. According to Kim, “As North Korea’s drone capabilities increase, the South Korean military must enhance its capability to counter North Korea’s drone threats. As drone technology evolves and drones increasingly become an essential tool of the armed forces, Seoul must also find ways to utilize drones effectively in conjunction with other weapons systems on the battlefield. South Korea’s decision to establish a drone operation command is a step in the right direction. However, as it stands, South Korea’s strategy lacks clear objectives. Deciding [...]

Security Nexus paper on Northeast Asia’s Military Tech & South Korean Defense Implications

By |2023-08-18T13:35:24-10:00August 17th, 2023|Categories: Journal, news|Tags: , , , , , |

A recent Security Nexus paper titled “Emerging New Military Technologies in Northeast Asia and Implications for South Korean Defense Strategy” by retired Navy Captain Sukjoon Yoon, ROKN, highlights the escalating pursuit of advanced military technologies in Northeast Asia amid growing military disparities. The implications of new military technologies in Northeast Asia are uncertain. While they might fuel an arms race, the high costs and demographic considerations could push some countries towards arms control. New military technologies are reshaping South Korea’s defense policies. Following the Biden-Moon Summit in 2021, the ROK-US alliance has expanded its focus from North Korea to the [...]

Nationalism versus liberalism: A South Korean view of the Taiwan issues

By |2023-05-08T10:30:33-10:00May 8th, 2023|Categories: Faculty Articles, news, Cho|Tags: , , |

At the invitation of Brookings Institution, Dr. Sungmin Cho contributed an essay for its Taiwan-U.S. Quarterly Analysis series. In this essay, Dr. Cho explains, “The Taiwan issue is often viewed by leaders of the United States and its allies as a contest between democracy and authoritarianism. From a South Korean perspective, however, the Taiwan issue also represents a clash between nationalism and liberalism.” Dr. Cho argues, “While nationalism emphasizes the importance of the group over the individual, liberalism privileges the individual. From a nationalist perspective, individuals are expected to align their preferences with the goals of the nation. However, young [...]

How South Korea Can Contribute to the Defense of Taiwan

By |2022-10-24T15:22:36-10:00October 24th, 2022|Categories: news, Cho|Tags: , , , |

Dr. Sungmin Cho has a new co-authored paper titled “How South Korea can contribute to the defense of Taiwan” published in the Washington Quarterly. According to Cho, “It remains unclear what South Korea can and should do in a Taiwan contingency. US-China competition is currently fiercest over this issue—it is the most likely potential cause of a great-power war between the two sides. Preventing this outcome through enhanced deterrence depends on the policies of US allies like South Korea. What can South Korea do to support US-led efforts, and what are the major hurdles in attaining deeper bilateral cooperation on [...]

North Korea Is Becoming an Asset for China 

By |2022-02-15T08:12:41-10:00February 15th, 2022|Categories: Faculty Articles, External Publications, news, Cho|Tags: , , , , |

“North Korea Is Becoming an Asset for China” is a new article by Dr. Sungmin Cho for Foreign Affairs magazine. Co-authored with Oriana Skylar Mastro, the article discusses the latest round of missile testing by North Korea and its potential impact on US alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea. According to the authors, "North Korea's missile tests are occurring at a time of stark, rising competition between the United States and the Pacific’s other great power: China... Pyongyang’s weapons program was long seen as a liability for Beijing, given the erratic and unpredictable behavior of North Korea’s leaders. [...]

South Korea’s Taiwan Conundrum

By |2022-01-05T13:14:50-10:00January 6th, 2022|Categories: Faculty Articles, External Publications, news, Cho|Tags: , |

“South Korea’s Taiwan Conundrum” is Dr. Sungmin Cho’s latest commentary for War on the Rocks. What would South Korea do if China attacked Taiwan?  According to Cho, “many people in Washington, Taipei, and Tokyo are wondering. South Korea’s position remains much more ambivalent than Japan’s. Seoul is understandably more worried about the possibility of retaliation from China, akin to Beijing’s fury over the basing of a U.S. defensive missile system in South Korea several years ago. Seoul also has a unique concern that Beijing would turn even more non-cooperative in the future process of Korean unification, if it ever occurs, as a result [...]

Arms buildup between two Koreas heightens risk of conventional and nuclear war

By |2021-11-12T10:00:01-10:00November 12th, 2021|Categories: Faculty Articles, External Publications, Minnich, news|Tags: , , |

“Arms buildup between two Koreas heightens risk of conventional and nuclear war” is a new article written by DKI APCSS Professor Dr. James M. Minnich.  The article was published by NK Pro, a professional journal on the topic of North Korea. This in-depth review of military capabilities on the peninsula underscores obstacles to peace and catastrophic costs of war. Read the full article James M. Minnich  is a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.  The views expressed in this article are his own and do not reflect those of DKI APCSS, the U.S. Department of [...]

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