Arirang Institute & Asia Institute Seminar
“Geopolitical Ripples: Cracking the Code of the North Korea-Japan Diplomatic Game”
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
4:30-6:00 PM
New Millennium Hall, Room 701
Yonsei University
Although Japan has consistently postulated North Korea as a security threat and the conservative governments of Japan have taken a hard line on abductee issues and other matters, in fact Prime Minister Koizumi visited North Korea twice (whereas no leader of Korea or the United States had done so recently) and a series of confidential negotiations between Japan and North Korea have been carried out recently. What exactly is Japan trying to achieve through its back channel conversations with North Korea and what might be the larger implications of these actions for the region?
Opening Remarks
Mike Lammbrau , Bureau Chief of the Arirang Institute
Moderator:
Emanuel Pastreich, Director of the Asia Institute
Panelists:
Professor Jin Kai, Research Fellow
Center for International Studies, Yonsei University
Dr. Kim Changsu, Senior Researcher, Korea Institute Defense Analysis