T.J. Pempel Smart Talk

YouTube Link: video.eai.or.kr/140513_pempelsmart.FLV

The East Asia Institute (EAI) hosted the 40th Smart Talk Forum on May 13th at 5:00 PM, inviting Professor T.J. Pempel from the University of California at Berkeley to discuss “The Economic-Security Nexus in Northeast Asia.” In this forum, Professor Pempel explained the impact of deepening economic interdependence among Northeast Asian countries on regional dynamics from the perspectives of inter-Korean, ROK-US, ROK-China, and ROK-Japan relations. Professor Pempel pointed out that in Northeast Asia, described as a “cockpit of great power rivalry,” issues such as the economy, non-traditional security, maritime security, and the North Korean nuclear threat can be both threats and opportunities for inter-state cooperation. He further projected that the status quo in Northeast Asia will not be sustained due to the rise of China, and that changes in Northeast Asian dynamics will be determined by realistic policy directions of leadership rather than international political theories. Following the presentation, discussions were held on the impact of the economic-security nexus on the regional security environment and dynamics in Northeast Asia, the development of multilateral cooperation mechanisms in the region, and the role of the United States.

Presenter

T.J. Pempel, Professor at the University of California at Berkeley