Korea Chair
In 2019, the CSIS Korea Chair celebrates its tenth anniversary as the premier independent platform in Washington for the advancement of major policy issues of common importance to the people of the Republic of Korea and the United States. Korea occupies a central place in U.S. strategy in Asia and plays a critical role in shaping peace and stability in the world's most prosperous and growing region.
Through nonpartisan, expert analysis of ongoing policy opportunities and security challenges facing the region, the CSIS Korea Chair promotes a greater understanding of relations between the United States, Korea, and Asia.
The CSIS Korea Chair conducts independent policy research on multiple issue-areas ranging from security to business to cybersecurity to global health. The Chair convenes public and private sector stakeholders for in-depth discussions and policy research.
CSIS appointed Dr. Victor Cha, former White House official and Georgetown University professor as the inaugural chair holder in 2009.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the Korea Chair will engage in new, cutting edge projects that will push the bounds of policy research on Korea, including satellite imagery, microsurveys, and big data/predictive analytics.
CSIS on the Japan-Korea Crisis
The Japan-Korea crisis is important to regional relations in Asia and for the United States. Read what CSIS experts Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Katrin Katz, Mr. Matthew Goodman and others has to say about this critical issue.
U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Seoul Program
On July 31 – August 2, we held the Seoul Program of the U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Program in Seoul, South Korea. At the Seoul Program, the NextGen scholars participated in a series of meetings at the Blue House, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Unification, the U.S. Embassy Seoul and the Institute for National Security Strategy to discuss U.S.-ROK relations, U.S.-DPRK relations, inter-Korea relations, and ROK-Japan relations. The scholars also had the opportunity to meet with the NextGen senior advisors in Korea and members of the business and media communities to discuss their work. They also visited the new Chey Institute for Advanced Studies to learn about their initiatives. Lastly, the scholars spoke at about their research to professors and students at public events held at Korea University and Seoul National University.
High Resolution: North Korea's ICBM Threat
The Yusang-ni missile operating base is reported to house ICBMs with first strike capabilities against the United States. CSIS's Victor Cha and Joseph Bermudez explain why Yusang-ni stands out among North Korea's matrix of secret missile operating bases. Please visit Beyond Parallel to view the full video and read the report.A Small Deal Within a Big Deal
As the Kim-Trump meeting at the DMZ last week suggests a reset in the denuclearization diplomacy after the failed summit in Hanoi, the United States must fashion a new negotiation strategy. Here, Victor Cha of CSIS and Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) offer some ideas for a strategy going forward (originally published in Chosun Ilbo, 2 June 2019).
Trump, North Korea, and the Rush for Peace
In the May/June 2019 edition of The National Interest, Dr. Victor Cha wrote about the South Korean government’s rush for a peace declaration with North Korea, the status of the U.S.-DPRK relations and the likelihood of a denuclearization agreement.
U.S. Policy Toward North Korea After the Second Summit
Victor Cha, senior adviser and Korea Chair for CSIS, testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee On East Asia, The Pacific, And International Cybersecurity Policy on “U.S. Policy Toward North Korea After the Second Summit” on March 26, 2019.
You can also watch a quick recap of his testimony in this new CSIS “Testify” video
North Korea’s No. 17 Explosives Factory: No Significant Activity
CSIS Joe Bermudez and Victor Cha looked at satellite imagery acquired on March 21, 2019 and over the past six months and found that the No. 17 Explosives Factory near Hamhung, North Korea is active. The No. 17 factory is important because it is one of the primary, if not the primary, producer of large solid-propellant rocket motors for ballistic missiles such as the Pukguksong-1 and-2.
U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Los Angeles Program
On March 13 – 15, we held the Los Angeles Program of the U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Program at USC. At the Los Angeles Program, the NextGen scholars participated in a writing workshop for their op-eds, media-training and videotaping for their Korea Questions videos, and professional development sessions on publishing and interviewing.
As part of the U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars program, our eleven scholars will publish an op-ed as part of the program. These op-eds were workshopped at the Los Angeles Program, with feedback provided by the program chairs and the Senior Advisory Board throughout the program.
In this article, Dr. Katz argues that conflicts between South Korea and Japan plays into the hands of North Korea and China, and while U.S.’ mediation this time around may not reap immediate success, the costs of complacency are certain.
In this article, Dr. Kim argues that if Americans lose faith in alternative routes to success, entry to top universities could become as cut-throat as it is in South Korea.
Sohae Launch Facility Update: Quiet Since Early March
A new CSIS Beyond Parallel snapshot on March 19 by Joe Bermudez and Victor Cha finds no activity of significance at the vertical engine test stand or launch pad at the Sohae Satellite Launch Facility.
Undeclared North Korea: The Sangnam-ni Missile Operating Base
In the third of our series “Undeclared North Korea” looking at the approximately 20 undeclared missile bases by North Korea, CSIS Joseph Bermudez, Victor Cha and Lisa Collins looked in depth at the Sangnam-ni missile operating base in Hochon County in South Hamgyong province, North Korea. Sangnam-ni is an operational missile base that houses a battalion- or regiment-sized unit equipped with Hwasong-10 (Musudan) intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM).
North Korea Reportedly Renews Commitment to Dismantle the Sohae Launch Facility
In the run-up to a second Trump-Kim summit, South Korean diplomatic sources reported on Monday (January 28th) “Seoul and Washington last week confirmed that Pyongyang will scrap its Tongchang-ri [Sohae] missile engine test site and launch pad in the presence of international experts.” As of January 20, 2019, commercial satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launch Facility shows that no new dismantling activity has occurred at the vertical engine test stand or rail-mounted processing building since August 2018. CSIS Victor Cha and Joe Bermudez explored in this snapshot what the latest satellite imagery tells us about the potential dismantlement at Sohae.
Undeclared North Korea: The Sino-ri Missile Operating Base and Strategic Force Facilities
Though the subject of speculation by open-source researchers for years, new research undertaken by CSIS Beyond Parallel has located 13 of an estimated 20 North Korean missile operating bases that are undeclared by the government. In the 2nd report of our series on these bases, Korea Chair’s Joseph Bermudez, Victor Cha and Lisa Collins explored the Sino-ri Missile Operating Base, which is located 212 kilometers north of the DMZ and houses a regiment-sized unit equipped with Nodong-1 medium-range ballistic missiles in depth.
Victor Cha assess diplomatic prospects for 2nd Trump-Kim summit in 2019
Dr. Victor Cha appeared on PBS Newshour on January 1, 2019 with Amna Nawaz and Jenny Town to analyze Kim Jong-un’s New Year address. The segment was viewed by U.S. president Donald Trump, who tweeted after the show.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
Making Solid Tracks: North Korea’s Railway Connections with China and Russia
With the December 26 groundbreaking ceremony at the Panmun station on the east side of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, North and South Korea are moving forward with inter-Korean railway cooperation as a key engine for advancing inter-Korean reconciliation and building the infrastructure for eventual unification. Railway re-connection would allow the Korean peninsula to be integrated into a rail network spanning the Eurasian continent through China and Russia. This report is the second in a series of CSIS original reports by Victor Cha, Joseph Bermudez and Marie DuMond on the inter-Korean and Korea-Eurasian railway connections including analysis, satellite imagery, and an overview of technical specifications.
Undeclared North Korea: The Sakkanmol Missile Operating Base
Though the subject of speculation by open-source researchers for years, new research was undertaken by CSIS Beyond Parallel has located 13 of an estimated 20 North Korean missile operating bases that are undeclared by the government. Missile operating bases are not launch facilities. In this new report, Korea Chair’s Joseph Bermudez, Victor Cha and Lisa Collins explored one such missile base in depth, the Sakkanmol Missile Operating Base, one of the closest to the DMZ and Seoul.
The Markets: Private Economy and Capitalism in North Korea?
The growth of markets is the single most significant socioeconomic development to occur in North Korea over the last 20 years. An understanding of this change is critical for the formulation of North Korea policy, but the underlying issues have been relatively understudied in comparison to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and prospects for denuclearization. In 2017 and 2018, Beyond Parallel launched a pioneering and original data collection project on markets in North Korea to study the changes happening in the country. As featured in “North Korea’s ‘Money Masters’ Hold Keys to Kim’s Economic Revival” by Jonathan Cheng in the Wall Street Journal.
Health Security and North Korea: Film Screening and Discussion
On Monday, October 29 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America's Health Security hosted a screening of its new film, The Gathering Health Storm Inside North Korea, followed by a roundtable discussion with regional experts and providers of humanitarian assistance moderated by film co-director J. Stephen Morrison. Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Sue Mi Terry both participated in the new film and in the film screening at CSIS.
A View Inside North Korea
Since 2016, CSIS has partnered with an organization that has a successful track record of conducting discrete and careful surveys in North Korea. Beyond Parallel has commissioned this organization to administer micro-survey questionnaires in provinces across North Korea. The questionnaires are carried out as natural in-person conversations between those conducting the interviews and the respondents. The individuals administering the questions are carefully trained to avoid asking leading questions or eliciting specific answers so as to protect both the integrity of the interview project and as well as safety of the people involved in the conversation. Explore the results and related commentaries by visiting the project page.
