Why a breakout of war on the peninsula is the least of South Korea's worries



Opinion Why a breakout of war on the peninsula is the least of South Korea’s worries Stuck between "American First" and Byungjin, Seoul needs to steel itself for uncertainty John Lee November 1, 2017 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Blue House Over the past few weeks, a growing number of people – both experts and laypeople – have been talking about the possibility of military conflict on the Korean peninsula. The most common refrain one hears among experts is that there is a growing sense of fear that North Korea and its neighbors and the United States might blunder themselves into war – whether by accident, miscalculation, or misperception of the other side’s intentions. After all, both Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un are unpredictable and have the capacity to kill millions of people. With both leaders trading personal insults and © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Opinion

Why a breakout of war on the peninsula is the least of South Korea’s worries

Stuck between "American First" and Byungjin, Seoul needs to steel itself for uncertainty

John Lee November 1, 2017

Why a breakout of war on the peninsula is the least of South Korea’s worries

Blue House

Over the past few weeks, a growing number of people – both experts and laypeople – have been talking about the possibility of military conflict on the Korean peninsula. The most common refrain one hears among experts is that there is a growing sense of fear that North Korea and its neighbors and the United States might blunder themselves into war – whether by accident, miscalculation, or misperception of the other side’s intentions.

After all, both Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un are unpredictable and have the capacity to kill millions of people. With both leaders trading personal insults and

About the Author

John Lee

John Lee is the Managing Editor of Korea Pro, based in Seoul, where he leads daily executive briefings, in-depth analyses and high-level events for business leaders, diplomats and policy professionals. Since joining Korea Pro in 2022, he has expanded the platform’s coverage of South Korea’s economy, trade and foreign policy and moderates its flagship Korea Business Forum and Seoul Circuit series. Before taking the helm at Korea Pro, John contributed to NK News and Korea Pro as a writer focused on South Korean foreign policy and U.S.-ROK relations. His work blends on-the-ground reporting with data-driven analysis of South Korea’s political economy, economic security and its evolving role in global affairs.

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