Defending South Korea: The Challenge of North Korean Missiles

12/23/2012
2012-12-23 by Richard Weitz Ballistic missile defenses (BMD) are an urgent acquisition and development capability for South Korea.  North Korea’s Artillery Guidance Bureau controlling some 800 mobile ballistic missiles poses a direct threat to the country. South Korea’s independent system for intercepting short- to medium-range ballistic missile, consisting of Patriot PAC-3…

Reflections on South Korean Elections

12/23/2012
2012-12-23 by Richard Weitz In South Korea’s 18th presidential election, held on December 19, Park Geun-hye of the governing Saenuri (New Frontier) Party defeated Moon Jae-in of the opposition Democratic United Party. Park’s inauguration is scheduled for February 25, when she will succeed President Lee Myung-bak. Park faces many domestic and…

The Impact of Space Budget Cuts on the Supply Chain: The End of An American Era

12/21/2012
2012-12-21 by Richard McCormack   A substantial percentage of companies that specialize in the space industry are on the brink of extinction.  According to the initial findings of an industry survey conducted by the federal government of 1,087 companies in the space supply chain, 38 percent said they would be insolvent…

Beijing Backs Kim Dynasty

12/21/2012
2012-12-21 by Richard Weitz As soon as North Korea had announced its plans to launch another nuclear test, Chinese officials had expressed “deep concern” and had dispatched a senior official to lobby against the test on behalf of the new Chinese leadership headed by Xi Jinping. Although Pyongyang ignored these warnings,…

The PRC Shapes the Pacific Future: Can the US and Its Allies Meet the Challenge?

12/20/2012
2012-12-18 by Richard Weitz Yesterday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, China experts Andrew J. Nathan and Andrew Scobell presented some of the themes in their new book entitled China’s Search for Security (Columbia University Press, 2012). Their articles in Foreign Affairs and The Washington Quarterly repeat the same…