Scott A. Snyder and See-won Byun say that uncertainties regarding a new North Korean leadership will create the context in which China, South Korea, and the United States must grapple with their future options for preserving stability in Northeast Asia.

Scott A. Snyder asks, "What are the prospects for a unified, nuclear-free Korea?"

CFR's Scott Snyder and Paul Stares discuss the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and its impact on the country's future, regional stability, and U.S. policy.

Development specialist Sohn Hyuk-sang analyzes the Busan-High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, arguing a new future for poverty reduction.

As the leaders of eighteen countries gather in Bali, Indonesia, this week for the East Asia Summit, Korea University professor Lee Shin-wha argues that there is a deep disconnect between East Asian summitry and Northeast Asian security needs that is likely to remain.

Despite U.S. Congressional ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), KORUS ratification by the South Korean National Assembly has proven to be more difficult than anticipated. While Korean public opinion towards KORUS remains supportive, the task of securing ratification for KORUS has been made more difficult by the Seoul mayoral bi-election win of independent progressive Park Won-soon in a vote seen as a rejection of the Lee Myung-bak administration's failure to deliver on growth policies and as evidence of an underlying shift in Korean public attitudes toward distribution over growth.

As South Korea marks the third anniversary of its green growth policy, the country has gained international diplomatic benefits from efforts to promote the policy while domestic implementation of green growth policies has been mixed.

Han Sung-joo, former South Korean foreign minister and former ambassador of the ROK to the United States, writes on emerging challenges to U.S.-ROK relations as Lee Myung-bak visits the United States this week.

The U.S. ratification of the stalled Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama indicates that "there is a possibility, despite the very great partisan divisions in Congress, of bipartisan cooperation on economic issues," says CFR's Edward Alden. However, Alden emphasizes that "it is important not to overstate the potential job creation benefits" of the agreements.

As Presidents Lee and Obama reaffirm the relationship and celebrate congressional approval of a long-pending free trade deal, they must also focus on difficult challenges ahead with North Korea and China's rise, say experts.

The longstanding U.S.-South Korea alliance, created as a bulwark against a communist North Korea, has expanded to include tighter trade ties and cooperation on global issues from climate change to international development.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's visit to Washington is likely to see passage of the Free Trade Agreement and coordination on strategies for pushing North Korea toward denuclearization, says CFR's Scott Snyder.

As President Barack Obama hosts Lee in an official state visit at the White House, Snyder and CFR senior fellow and trade expert Edward Alden discuss the U.S.-Korea relationship and the KORUS-FTA.

Scott A. Snyder and See-won Byun review the recent history of China-Korea relations.

In this Center for Preventive Action study, CFR scholars provide policy options for preventing a major crisis and mitigating the consequences in the territories immediately adjacent to China: North Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Central Asia.

Two trends represent Korea today: South Korea's extraordinary economic boom and North Korea's stagnation and provocation.

Jerome A. Cohen says the consultative jury system in South Korea can serve as a model for both sides of the Taiwan strait.

Robert Dujarric and Peter M. Beck say the queen of England's trip to the Irish Republic should persuade the Japanese government to accept South Korea's invitation to allow the emperor to pay a visit.

Peter M. Beck argues that the initiative to form a Korea-Japan alliance will have to come from Seoul, given that Tokyo is preoccupied with recovering from the earthquake.

Scott Snyder and See-won Byun analyze the divergent responses throughout Asia to the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.