The Impossible State

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Mr. Sydney Seiler, and Ms. Yuki Tatsumi discussed the Trump administration's policy toward North Korea, the possibility of a second Trump–Kim summit, its future direction in relation to the United States, South Korea, and Japan, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Kristi Govella, and Mr. William Reinsch discussed the tariff war, its potential impact on Korea, Japan, and other countries around the world, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Michael Green discussed U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation, the Trump administration's strategy for the Indo-Pacific, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Yoojin Kim, Andrew Yeo, and Darcie Draudt-Véjares discussed the analysis of the Constitutional Court's unanimous decision on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Hyo-young Lee discussed Korea's economic security issues, supply chain challenges, the future of U.S.-ROK economic cooperation under the new Trump administration, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Ms. Yoojin Kim, and Mr. Eunjoong Kim discussed South Korea's ongoing political crisis, the future direction of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, the possibility of a new South Korean government, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, and Dr. Kang Choi discussed how South Korea's current political crisis will impact its foreign policy and its relations with the United States, its neighbors, and more.

In this episode, Mr. Sydney Seiler and Dr. Seth Jones discussed North Korea and Russia's cooperation for the war in Ukraine, North Korea's deployment of soldiers to support Russia, the Trump Administration's policy to weaken North Korea-Russia cooperation, and more. 

In this episode, Dr. Ellen Kim and Mr. Sydney Seiler discuss the DPRK's recent and anticipated actions, the potential for exploitation of ROK political developments, US policy toward the North under a second Trump administration, and more. 

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Darcie Draudt-Véjares, and Mr. Bruce Klingner discuss the current political situation in South Korea. Topics will include updates on President Yoon's martial law, his impeachment, what's next for the Korean peninsula and US-ROK alliance, and more. 

In this episode, Mr. Sydney Seiler and Secretary General Yongho Tae discuss the latest developments in North Korea. Topics will include updates on North Korean human rights issues, South Korea's policy toward North Korea, and the current situation in North Korea.

In this episode, Andrew Schwartz, Victor Cha, and distinguished guests discuss the Kremlin's motivations, the potential impacts on the battlefield in Ukraine, what North Korea is likely to receive in return, how Beijing may perceive this development, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Duyeon Kim, and Mr. Sydney Seiler discuss recent developments regarding North Korea's sending troops to Russia, North Korea blows up inter-Korean roads near the border, North Korea's new constitution, and more.

In this episode, Andrew Schwarz and Victor Cha discuss Dr. Victor Cha's new book, The Black Box: Demystifying the Study of Korean Unification and North Korea.

In this episode, Dr. Cha and Mr. Bruce Klingner discuss recent developments regarding North Korea's missile deployment, successor plan, garbage-filled balloons, and more. 

In this episode, Dr. Cha and distinguished speakers discuss the significance of the Putin-Kim summit, the strengthening Russia-North Korea alliance, the implications of this alliance for regional and global security and why the Russia-North Korea alliance is a threat like no other.

In a crossover episode with CSIS's The Truth of the Matter, Dr. Victor Cha discusses Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang and why he believes the “Mutual Defense Treaty” agreed to by Russia and North Korea is the greatest threat to U.S. national security since the Korean War. Also discussed—what this means for the U.S. and its allies and how it impacts China.  

In this episode, Dr. Cha and Ambassador Philip Goldberg explore the latest developments on the Korean peninsula and the U.S.-ROK alliance. Topics will include Korea's unique aspects as seen by Ambassador Goldberg; his priorities for U.S.-Korea relations; and the significance of recent regional developments, including the U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral meeting, the Japan-ROK-China trilateral dialogue, and North Korea's recent provocations and ties with Russia.

This bonus episode is from Breaking Bad: South Korea's Nuclear Option Report Rollout Event on April 29, 2024. Dr. Victor Cha, Senior Vice President for Asia and Korea Chair, conducted the first U.S. multi-question polling of strategic elites in South Korea on the nuclear question. The new findings of this study “Breaking Bad: South Korea's Nuclear Option” have significant policy implications and the author provides several recommendations for the United States. 

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, professor at King's College London, KF-VUB Korea Chair, and adjunct fellow of Korea Chair at CSIS, to discuss the National Assembly election results, how the election will affect President Yoon's foreign policy, and what the outlook is moving forward.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Jung Pak, deputy assistant secretary of state for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands and the U.S. senior official for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the US Department of State, to discuss the Biden administration's North Korea policy, DPRK-Russia cooperation as well as what to expect from North Korea in 2024.

This bonus episode is from the JoongAng - CSIS Forum 2024: The Polycrisis in 2024 on March 3, 2024. Dr. Mira Rapp-Hooper, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Indo-Pacific Affairs, White House National Security Council had a conversation with Victor Cha, Senior Vice President for Asia, CSIS to discuss Biden Administration's North Korea Policy.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Sung-han Kim, Former ROK National Security Advisor and Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Korea University, to discuss North Korea's current situation and recent developments as well as what to expect from North Korea in 2024.

In this episode, Dr. Ellen Kim is joined by Dr. Victor Cha to discuss the Korea Chair's latest publication, Slow Boil: What to Expect from the DPRK in 2024, the likelihood of increased North Korean belligerence in 2024 and how it ties to the upcoming U.S. election. 

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. James Brady to discuss the recent earthquake, the political fundraising scandal, and speculation regarding Japan-DPRK relations in 2024.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Mr. Scott Snyder to discuss the upcoming external and internal pressures on the U.S.-South Korea alliance and what a second Trump Administration would mean for the Korean peninsula.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Yuki Tatsumi to explore Japan's foreign policy outlook for the upcoming year. 

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Katrin Katz to discuss the US-Japan-ROK trilateral relationship following the Camp David Summit, what to expect moving forward, and the challenges the US-Japan-ROK face in China, North Korea, and Russia.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Jill Dougherty to discuss the current state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the motivations of the DPRK following the Kim-Putin summit, and China's support for Russia's war.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Sung-Yoon Lee to discuss his recent book, The Sister, and Kim Yo Jong's prominent role both inside and outside the state.  

In this episode, Dr. Ellen Kim is joined by Dr. Angela Stent and Dr. Victor Cha to discuss the second summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, the significance of the meeting at the spaceport, and the reactions of the United States and South Korea to this summit.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Sungmin Cho to discuss South Korea's role in deterring North Korea's opportunistic aggression in a Taiwan contingency and providing rear area support.

This bonus episode is from the Reviewing the Camp David Trilateral Summit Event on August 29, 2023. Dr. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council, Ambassador Cho Hyundong of the Republic of Korea and Ambassador Tomita Koji of Japan discuss the summit and future trilateral relations.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Andrew Yeo to discuss a U.S. soldier who crossed into North Korea, short-range ballistic missiles conducted by North Korea, and the newly formed NCG between the United States and South Korea.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Andrew Schwartz are joined by Ms. Bonnie Glaser to discuss the relations between South Korea and China, the upcoming NATO summit in July, and the relationship between China and North Korea during the COVID lockdown.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Mr. Ankit Panda to discuss the recent North Korea's military spy satellite launch from the Sohae satellite launch site, North Korea's weapons development, and the 7th nuclear test.

This bonus episode is from Georgetown University's Asian Studies Program Event on May 5th. Dr. Victor Cha is joined by special guest Mark B. Lambert, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State for a debrief on President Yoon's State Visit to Washington and related policy discussion.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo to discuss the recent Biden-Yoon Summit from the European perspective, Yoon's policy regarding China, economic coercion, and North Korea. 

In this episode, Victor Cha is joined by Jinmyung Kim, Washington correspondent for the Chosun Ilbo, to discuss the significance of Yoon's state visit and the takeaways on North Korean denuclearization and trilateral relations with the United States, Korea, and Japan.

In a crossover episode with CSIS's The CommonHealth, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by J. Stephen Morrison, Senior Vice President and Director, Global Health Policy Center at CSIS, to discuss an update on what we know, suspect, and do not know about North Korea still in extreme isolation from the rest of the world; the status of its Covid outbreak and response; the heightened risk of famine; and the burgeoning exchange of North Korean weapons and ammunition in return for Russian food and energy.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Jenny Town and Mr. Frank Aum to discuss the incentives versus pressure debate, rethink working theories around sanctions and China's role in negotiations, and explore how North Korea is affected by its changing external security environment.

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Dr. Soo Kim and Mr. Anthony Ruggiero to discuss sanctions on North Korea, the history of sanctions, how to measure its effectiveness, China's reaction to sanctions and ultimately answer the question of whether sanctions really works on North Korea.