Joel Atkinson

From Choo, Jaewoo. (2019). Conservative and progressives' stance on China and impact on South Korea-China relations. In Milani, M., Fiori, A., and Dian, M. (Eds.), The Korean Paradox: Domestic Political Divide and Foreign Policy in South Korea. Routledge.

This from prof of Chinese foreign policy at Kyung Hee University Jaewoo Choo in 2019 on South Korean progressives’ “pro-China approach” & “a more balanced US policy” helps contextualize the current Lee Jae Myung admin & progressive legislature (if you’re into that kind of thing)t kind of thing):

If you'd like to learn more about President Lee's policies towards China and Russia, you can check out @joelatkinson.bsky.social's and my appearance on KBS World from yesterday (episode from 07.08, at minute 8).

world.kbs.co.kr/service/prog...

The Embarrassing Reason Xi Talks about ‘Great Changes Unseen in a Century’ The formulation clearly means something important, but its origins are often obscured.

If you want to know why Chinese leader Xi Jinping (probably) talks about “great changes unseen in a century” with Putin and elsewhere—and you definitely should want to know why—I’ve got you covered
thediplomat.com/2025/07/the-...

The Embarrassing Reason Xi Talks about ‘Great Changes Unseen in a Century’ The formulation clearly means something important, but its origins are often obscured.

I explain why Xi Jinping’s signature “Great Changes Unseen in a Century” is likely derivative of a popular Chinese nationalist self-help book, Liu Mingfu’s “China Dream” (2010), which is riffing on a 1994 quote from Kissinger
thediplomat.com/2025/07/the-...

The Embarrassing Reason Xi Talks about ‘Great Changes Unseen in a Century’ The formulation clearly means something important, but its origins are often obscured.

I explain why Xi Jinping’s signature “Great Changes Unseen in a Century” is likely derivative of a popular Chinese nationalist self-help book, Liu Mingfu’s “China Dream” (2010), which is riffing on a 1994 quote from Kissinger
thediplomat.com/2025/07/the-...

Why South Korea won’t build the bomb | The Strategist The idea of South Korea developing nuclear weapons is reaching critical mass, if you’ll excuse the pun. Surveys show as much as 70 percent of the public now in favor. There has also been plenty ...

I wrote something for @aspi-org.bsky.social on why there's no political pathway for South Korea to develop nukes. Short answer: sure, there's popular support, but going nuclear requires a sustained bipartisan consensus, which isn't going to happen
www.aspistrategist.org.au/why-south-ko...

Some extra context on the dearth of unity that was cut. This re-broke my brain when I was writing it

Why South Korea won’t build the bomb | The Strategist The idea of South Korea developing nuclear weapons is reaching critical mass, if you’ll excuse the pun. Surveys show as much as 70 percent of the public now in favor. There has also been plenty ...

I wrote something for @aspi-org.bsky.social on why there's no political pathway for South Korea to develop nukes. Short answer: sure, there's popular support, but going nuclear requires a sustained bipartisan consensus, which isn't going to happen
www.aspistrategist.org.au/why-south-ko...

Sympathetic article drawing parallels between Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
www.hani.co.kr/arti/english...

South Korea's new president will have to pick a side soon Lee Jae-myung tacks to the right for now, but gravity still pulls him left

New from me on South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's foreign policy prospects
asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Sout...

news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?n...

First phone calls and summits with major powers by former South Korean presidents. Trump hasn't called Lee yet (who took office on June 4), nor has Xi

Ok not close and not going to be close

Wow, actually looking close with nearly 12% of votes counted

제21대 대선, 오후 8시 투표 마감… 이재명 51.7% vs 김문수 39.3% [디스커버리뉴스=이명수 기자] 2025년 6월 3일, 제21대 대한민국 대통령 선거가 오후 8시 투표 마감과 함께 종료됐다. 지상파 방송 3사가 공동 발표한 출구조사 결과에 따르면, 더불어민주당 이재명 후보가 51.7%, 국민의힘 김문수 후보가 39.3%를 각각 얻은 것으로 예측됐다. 이는 통계적으로 ‘오차범위 밖’의 격차로 평가되며, 대세 흐름을 반영하는...

Lee Jae-myung leading Kim Moon-soo 51.7% to 39.3% in 8PM exit polls
www.discoverynews.kr/news/article...

Kim Moon-soo (at 37.4) now within 9.3 points of Lee Jae-Myung (at 46.7). Lee Jun-seok is yellow at 9.3 (up 1.4 compared to Kim's +1.3 ad Lee Jae-myung's -2.1)
www.hani.co.kr/arti/politic...

China: Writer Yang Hengjun’s letter from jail is a powerful expression of humanity and hope in the face of repression — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression World... ‘Yang Hengjun’s letter from behind bars is a powerful expression of his unshakable humanity and his unyielding resolve to use his voice to call for a better world. The suspended death sentence ...

#China: Imprisoned writer #YangHengjun's letter from behind bars is a powerful expression of hope and defiance in the face of crushing repression.

We continue to call for his immediate and unconditional release so that he can be reunited with his family ⬇️

www.pen-international.org/news/china-w...

The era of Lee Jae-myung has begun
"지금은 이재명"

China Exults in Trump’s Tariff Pullback The agreement was cheered in Beijing as vindication for Xi Jinping and his defiant response to President Trump’s trade war.

Xi has made a show of defying U.S. pressure and leaned into his self-styled image as a staunch steward of Chinese sovereignty. He has repeatedly expressed his belief that China will usher out the era of American dominance, a process aided by Western capitalist excess.

www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Ethiopian airlines flight to Seoul nearly flew into Kashmir this morning h/t Tanvi Madan

Word on the street is that Kim Moon-soo will unify the candidacy behind former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo rather than vice versa
www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/p...

How we identified a North Korean hacker who tried to get a job at Kraken Cybersecurity isn’t just a priority for Kraken, it’s part of our origin story and embedded into our DNA.

Account of a North Korean hacker attempting to infiltrate a US-based cryptocurrency exchange: "Not all attackers break in, some try to walk through the front door"
blog.kraken.com/news/how-we-...

Expanding on what we missed with sycophancy A deeper dive on our findings, what went wrong, and future changes we’re making.

"As our models become more capable and widely used, it’s important to define what ideal behavior actually looks like."
openai.com/index/expand...

(2nd LD) Supreme Court overturns DP presidential candidate's acquittal in election law violation case | Yonhap News Agency (ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more details)By Chae Yun-hwan SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Th...

Hmmm, I have questions...
Lee Jae-myung: "The law is an agreement by the people, and the will of the people is what is most important."
m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2025...

Very interesting encapsulation of the Beijing-Pyongyang nuclearization dynamic from Thae Yong-ho's recently translated book "Passcode to the Third Floor"

Apple and others have been so stupid the stock market *should* go down:
"Chinese authorities are delaying or blocking shipments of iPhone equipment to India without explanation"
9to5mac.com/2025/04/24/a...

Latest issue of free-to-access Journal of East Asian Affairs from South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). (I am executive editor, with INSS Director Han Sukhee as publisher and Mason Richey as editor-in-chief). Submissions welcome, 1 million KRW honorarium.

Submissions: inss.re.kr/en/aboutus/P...

Latest issue of free-to-access Journal of East Asian Affairs from South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). (I am executive editor, with INSS Director Han Sukhee as publisher and Mason Richey as editor-in-chief). Submissions welcome, 1 million KRW honorarium.