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Hither and Yon

About those euphoric Korea peace talks: A trip down memory lane

March 8, 2018
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

Don’t hold your breath. We’ve been disappointed so often in moves toward North-South reconciliation that it’s hard to believe any face-to-face talks between President Moon Jae-In and North Korea’s “respected leader” Kim Jong-Un will lead to resolution of  Read More 
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‘Rocket man’ gives everyone a break from tedious news cycles

November 30, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

WASHINGTON ― He had to do it, didn’t he? Just when the optimists were saying, well, it’s been a few weeks since the last one, maybe he’s learned his lesson.

What lesson?

Kim Jong-Un (aka, “Rocket man”) sails on, oblivious  Read More 
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Fog, policy prevented a shoulder-to-shoulder stand at DMZ

November 9, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

At least Donald Trump gave it a shot. He really wanted to make it up to Panmunjom but was turned back by the weather.

For most visitors, the fog that hung over the line between North and South Korea would not have been too much for  Read More 
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Oil for N. Korea: China much angrier at THAAD than Pyongyang’s nukes

September 15, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

President Moon Jae-In has to be a master of the art of compromise. He was all for the latest watered-down UN sanctions that cut down but don’t cut off the flow of oil from China and Russia to North Korea.

The U.S. would far  Read More 
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Information War: Here’s how to bring the brutal North Korean regime to its knees

By World Tribune on August 24, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

Donald Trump’s notion of “fire and fury” for North Korea inspires cheers, fears and jeers. Is he threatening the biblical “fire and brimstone,” or does his rhetoric more closely resemble Shakespeare’s “tale told by an idiot, full of sound and  Read More 
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Brave new cyber-spy world: From Moscow with love-hate

January 12, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

WASHINGTON – Once upon a time, in an era that’s faded into the near-forgotten history of The Cold War, Moscow was the enemy, and those who believed otherwise were labeled “comsymps” for Communist sympathizers.

The phenomenon of “the Red scare,” meaning the  Read More 
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Growing political crisis in South Korea could impact critical security ties with U.S.

By World Tribune on December 15, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

The populist revolt against President Park Geun-Hye has grave implications for governance amid economic unease and high youth unemployment.

In this uncertain transition period, Korea’s relationship with the United States is sure to undergo strains if not change while foes of  Read More 
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Memo to President-elect Trump: Beware of the experts on East Asia’s chessboard

By World Tribune on November 24, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

The process of “making America great again” is filled with perils and pitfalls, nowhere more so than in Asia.

The intricacies and subtleties of the Great Game for Asia often are about as incomprehensible to the experts as they are to amateurs  Read More 
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North Korea and the Left love ‘democratic’ protests that back their agendas

By World Tribune on November 17, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

Too bad President-elect Donald Trump’s phone call to President Park Geun-Hye the day after his victory may be his only chance to talk with her. Even if she’s still in the Blue House when he moves into the White House,  Read More 
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Make believe war games south of the DMZ, but what if the North is for real?

By World Tribune on November 10, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

An air of unreality pervaded the atmosphere if not the skies over Osan Air Base this week as three of the niftiest warplanes on the planet zoomed off the runway for war games intended to strengthen their ability to work together to  Read More 
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