The controversies surrounding South Korea’s first lady, Kim Keon-hee, and her alleged misconduct—ranging from luxury gift acceptance to political interference—have escalated.
South Korea follows the U.S. tradition with each presidential administration appointing its own ambassadors to key posts. This means that political allies, donors, or campaign supporters will take key ambassadorial roles.
While foreign policy and diplomacy are often used interchangeably (particularly in America), they refer to distinct processes.
Over the past decade, the Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, Australia (MIKTA) partnership has seen a notable decline in its influence and cohesion.
The awarding of the Nobel Prize for Literature to South Korean author Han Kang demonstrates South Korea’s growing cultural influence, and the commensurate increase in global attention to its social challenges.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) ranking of South Korea in Tier 1 of the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) hides the lack of a comprehensive cybersecurity culture among the wider population.
Individuals aspiring to work in foreign affairs typically follow a highly structured path, balancing academic preparation with professional experience and rigorous selection processes.
The Korea National Diplomatic Academy is doing some important work, but it’s also got a few wrinkles that need ironing out. From updating its curriculum to offering more practical experiences and shaking up its recruitment process, there’s a lot of room for improvement.
Australia and South Korea need to first build a stronger shared narrative in order to understand what each other means by the term “strategic”.
For an author who was an early advocate for South Korea to fulfil its role as a middle power in international society, it’s hard to say - stop!
