Last year marked the 70th anniversary of the truce between the two nations; however, peace on the Korean Peninsula grows more precarious each day. Recent events, including North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s stark declaration of South Korea as the “principal enemy” and the symbolic dismantling of a major statue representing reunification efforts, have cast a shadow over hopes of stability in the region. With Pyongyang’s aggressive rhetoric and provocative missile tests, paired with South Korea amping up military tests with the U.S., the Korean Peninsula is, once again, seized by tension. As the world grapples with the implications of North Korea’s recent stance, calls to prevent further escalation have never been more urgent.
Read MoreSouth Korea is facing a dilemma about whether to possess nuclear weapons due to North Korea's continuous military advancements and nuclear pursuits. The failure of South Korea's conventional deterrence system and the actions of China and Russia have increased the urgency for South Korea to bolster its national security, even if it means breaking prior agreements.
Read MoreRecently, Japan’s new policy pertaining to military investment has been met with a slew of concern, as many continue to hypothesize whether it will pose a threat to global peace. The Japanese government’s own perspective toward the maintenance of peace in today’s world, itself, raises questions about how reliable interdependence is moving forward.
Read MoreChina and the United States have a complicated history of diplomacy, with several near-misses that could have reshaped the power balance of East Asia at enormous costs.
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