Symposium discusses dynamics of NE Asian geopolitics

Synja P. Kim, president of the Institute for Corean-American Studies (ICAS), delivers an opening speech to the ICAS Fall Symposium 2015 in Washington, D.C., Oct. 20. The symposium was co-organized by The Korea Times and the Heritage Foundation. / Courtesy of ICAS

The following is an opening speech delivered by Synja P. Kim, president of the Institute for Corean-American Studies (ICAS), to ICAS Fall Symposium 2015 in Washington, D.C., Oct. 20. The event was co-organized by the Heritage Foundation and The Korea Times. -- ED.

In today’s program, we will continue to discuss:

-- the Korean Peninsula issues,

-- the evolving dynamics of the Northeast Asian geopolitics,

-- and, the U.S. global leadership into the 21st century.

These subjects should be all familiar to you. During all those years we have been discussing these topics, the nature of the issues of the underlying fundamentals has not changed, and yet the contexts of those issues have been changing at each occurrence of any change or new development in and around the peninsula, causing the shifts in the regional dynamics, with the consequences reflecting in the regional landscape -- economically, politically, militarily, and also in the diplomatic pursuits.

The last six months has brought us yet another significant milestone to the Northeast Asian geopolitics with the three Northeast Asian leaders’ state summits, back-to-back, during the highly testing period for all three parties. While our memory is still fresh, we would ask:

-- What are the broad implications on ROK’s future course of actions: (a) in the way of achieving the peace and security on the peninsula; (b) its aspirations for the expanded contributions to the global peace agenda, as a meaningful partner with the U.S. in its initiative of rebalancing to Asia.

-- and, what would be the prospect of the U.S. global leadership in the 21st century, in view of the rising power in Asia, while the overall global dynamics seem to continue to be fluid, so to speak.

So, that brings all of us here at this platform today, to gain better understanding of and insights in all these complex and critically important issues before us!

At this time, please let me add that today’s symposium is particularly significant for us: We are delighted to present this event today in partnership with the Heritage Foundation and The Korea Times, the 1st English daily in Korea.

We have five speakers today. It is my distinct pleasure to have among the most distinguished “thinkers in the business,” here with us today.

-- Joseph Bosco: ICAS fellow; senior associate, Center for Strategic & International Studies

-- Glen Fukushima: senior fellow, Center for American Progress

-- Bruce Klingner: ICAS fellow; senior research fellow, Asian studies, the Heritage Foundation.

-- Michael O’Hanlon: senior fellow; director of research, the Brookings Institution

-- Oh Joon: ambassador and permanent representative of Republic of Korea to the U.N.

We have a team of distinguished discussants, who are all ICAS fellows: Joseph Bosco, Peter Huessy (president of GeoStrategic Analysis), Tong Kim -- Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times -- and David Maxwell, associate director, the Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University.