This publication is now archived. IntroductionDefining a year just past is often a matter of perspective. Sometimes it’s self-evident: 1989 saw communism fall in Europe, 2001 saw terrorism arrive in …

South Korea, long a stalwart ally of the United States, is now seeking to define a new role for itself in Asia.

Japan’s constitution forbids a traditional military, allowing only a narrowly defined Self Defense Force, or SDF. Some experts now see acceleration in the longstanding movement to modernize and stren…

News reports say the United States may be shifting its approach toward North Korea in an ongoing effort to get Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program. But some experts say that with negotiations st…

The government of North Korean President Kim Jung-Il retains a virtual death grip on the nation’s economy, directing all official economic activity through an authoritarian command system. But recent…