This article is the first of a two-part series by Aidan Foster-Carter on the ongoing trade spat between South Korea and Japan.

Tracking North Korea also entails keeping a close eye on its neighbors. Right now two of them, Japan and South Korea, are falling out big-time. That can only help Pyongyang.

The issues are complex, so we’ll tackle them in two parts. This first article provides context and background, while raising some general considerations.

The second part focuses directly on the latest ominous twist in what has always been a dysfunctional relationship.

How does the DPRK survive? That question