A conservative and a progressive appear to offer South Koreans sharply different presidential options, but both are likely to pursue similar foreign policy tracks, says CFR's Scott Snyder.

In a major electoral comeback, Japan's conservatives have won a supermajority in parliament. But the results have stirred anxieties about how they will use their power, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Reviving Japan's economy from its two-decade-long slump is key to stabilizing the country's political environment, says expert Gerald Curtis.

On the upcoming South Korean presidential election, Scott A. Snyder says the determining vote will be "South Korea's bulging forties cohort" that played a critical role in South Korea's transition from authoritiarianism to democracy and also has the greatest stake in its economic stability.

Sebastian Mallaby argues that Europe's future is looking frighteningly like Japan's past.

While they acknowledge the importance of building and maintaining positive relations with China, South Koreans feel apprehensive about China's growing influence.

Based on the premise that economic development and environmental protection can be complementary goals, the Global Green Growth Initiative provides technical and policy advice to developing countries. The program faces many challenges, but if successful, it may revolutionize the field of development.

Scott Snyder speaks to Balbina Hwang and Terry Roehrig on South Korea's contributions to international security.

Authors of the new CFR ebook Global Korea: South Korea's Contributions to International Security will discuss the ways South Korea is becoming a more active contributor to international security by participating in peacekeeping, antipiracy, postconflict stabilization, counterproliferation, and other activities.

Despite an ongoing threat from North Korea, South Korea has emerged as a producer rather than a consumer of international security goods. As a newly elected member of the UN Security Council, South Korea has the opportunity to use these investments as a "middle power" and responsible leader in the international community, says Scott A. Snyder.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and South Korean Minister of National Defense, Kim Kwan Jin, gave these remarks at a joint press conference in Washington DC on October 24, 2012.

This joint communiqué Between the U.S. and South Korea was affirmed by delegations led by U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and South Korean Minister of National Defense Kim, at the 44th Security Consultative Meeting in Washington DC on October 24, 2012.

South Korea has emerged as a major contributor to international security, participating in a wide range of activities far from the Korean peninsula. CFR scholars outline several steps that will ensure that South Korea can sustain this broadened role.

There are high entry costs for South Korea to pursue space activity, but it will provide important contributions to national security and offer benefits that come with the associated prestige.

Michael Spence shares his bullish outlook on emerging markets and their ability to rebound from a global growth slowdown.

The world's leading North Korea experts analyze the challenges and prospects the country is facing.

L. Gordon Flake, executive director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, analyzes the upcoming 2012 South Korean presidential election and its implications for U.S.-ROK relations.

Escalating friction between Japan and China in the East China Sea is becoming more difficult to contain, fed by political opportunism in both countries, says CFR's Sheila Smith.

Sheila Smith argues that while recent tensions between Japan and South Korea over territorial issues are deeply worrisome for the U.S. government and for regional stability, the reality is that a stronger bilateral relationship can only come about if it is the Japanese and Korean people that lead the effort on reconciliation.

Sheila A. Smith discusses how Japan's move to replace its ambassadors to the United States, China, and South Korea with three career officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to do as much with domestic politics as it does with tensions in the region.