Dr Sungju Park-Kang is Research Fellow at the DPRK Strategic Research Center, Assistant Professor of International Relations, and Founder of Kang Scholarship at KIMEP University, where he is also acting as President’s discussion partner. In addition, Park-Kang is Adjunct Professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku, Finland. He was formerly Assistant Professor of Korean Studies and International Relations at Leiden University, the Netherlands and the University of Central Lancashire, UK. His work has appeared in Review of International Studies, Millennium: Journal of International Studies, Asia Europe Journal, Polity and The Geopolitics, among others. Park-Kang is the author of Tears of Theory: International Relations as Storytelling and Fictional International Relations: Gender, Pain and Truth.
Dr Sungju Park-Kang is Research Fellow at the DPRK Strategic Research Center, Assistant Professor of International Relations, and Founder of Kang Scholarship at KIMEP University, where he is also acting as President’s discussion partner. In addition, Park-Kang is Adjunct Professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku, Finland. He was formerly Assistant Professor of Korean Studies and International Relations at Leiden University, the Netherlands and the University of Central Lancashire, UK. His work has appeared in Review of International Studies, Millennium: Journal of International Studies, Asia Europe Journal, Polity and The Geopolitics, among others. Park-Kang is the author of Tears of Theory: International Relations as Storytelling and Fictional International Relations: Gender, Pain and Truth.
Russia and North Korea’s “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” marks more than convenience—it hints at a long-term realignment reshaping Northeast Asia’s power balance. Pragmatism may be giving way to strategy.
East Asia risks repeating 19th-century Europe’s mistakes. Like Bismarck’s failed Reinsurance Treaty, ad hoc diplomacy won’t secure peace — only durable, institutional U.S.–Japan–South Korea cooperation can.
As seas grow crowded with gray-zone threats, Offshore Patrol Vessels offer affordable endurance, law enforcement reach, and modular firepower—freeing destroyers for deterrence. In the coming maritime era, OPVs are necessity, not luxury.
Trump 2.0 suggests progress—but Trump defies linearity. His second term may bring bold deals with North Korea, yet risks remain high. Peace demands clarity, not branding.
India takes the lead as BIMSTEC eyes deeper regional integration. The 6th Summit in Bangkok unveiled bold visions—from maritime cooperation to digital infrastructure. Can promise finally meet performance?
South Korea's nuclear debate intensifies as public support grows. Modeling a credible deterrent force is crucial to understanding risks, requirements, and regional consequences. A potential path forward without triggering nuclear escalation.
China, long regarded as one of the drivers of global economic expansion, with its rapid industrialization and expansion positioning it as a dominant force...
While speaking at a citizenship ceremony on 9 March 2025 Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “New arrivals bring fresh experiences, diverse perspectives...
As Indonesia and Iran celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, recent developments over the past two months highlight a deepening partnership across multiple sectors,...
The world is waiting. South Korea’s Constitutional Court is deliberating the currently suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment case, which was triggered by his declaration...
Can India realistically join the CPTPP amid protectionist lobbies, tariff limits, and costly reforms—or will New Delhi stick to flexible regional deals over binding mega trade pacts?
As Europe rearms, the key question looms: ballistic or cruise missiles? Ukraine’s FP-5 shows the logic—cost-effective, precise, and scalable. For Europe, cruise may be the pragmatic path to real deterrence.
Tajikistan’s education system faces a deepening teacher crisis—nearly 4,000 vacancies by mid-2025, low pay, migration, and poor training threaten quality learning. A 30% pay rise helps, but far from enough.
The UAE is redefining global security through innovation and cooperation—combining AI-driven policing, international training, and multilateral alliances to build a safer, tech-enabled world.
