May 17, 2024

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Fretwell

James Fretwell

James Fretwell is a writer based in Seoul, South Korea. He was an analyst at NK News, and he has often discussed the two Koreas in interviews on the BBC, ABC News Australia, Deutsche Welle and elsewhere.

Analysis

Why Kim Yo Jong will complain about US-ROK military drills until the end of time

Military exercises have little impact on talks with North Korea, regardless of angry words from Kim Jong Un’s sister

James FretwellJames FretwellMarch 17, 2021
Analysis

Japan’s back in the North Korea game, but it faces nearly impossible challenges

North Korea’s long-range nuclear threat could overshadow Japan’s other security priorities

James FretwellJames FretwellFebruary 23, 2021
Analysis

Seven decades of friendship and envy: North Korea’s relations with Vietnam

Vietnam achieved what the Kim regime never could: national reunification and a booming economy

James FretwellJames FretwellFebruary 1, 2021
Analysis

New US State Department pick spells doom for Moon’s North Korea policies

Jung H. Pak supports using maximum pressure rather than showy summits in order to force Kim into giving up his nukes

James FretwellJames FretwellJanuary 28, 2021
Analysis

Why Seoul’s foreign minister nominee won’t be able to score Moon more summits

Chung Eui-yong helped fix 2018 and 2019's summits, but COVID-19 and a reluctant Biden will make more talks difficult

James FretwellJames FretwellJanuary 22, 2021
Analysis

A newly-declassified document underscores Trump’s North Korea failures

The U.S. wanted to convince North Korea that it doesn’t need nukes, but Kim is far from persuaded

James FretwellJames FretwellJanuary 15, 2021
Analysis

Where Biden’s top foreign policy picks stand on North Korea

Antony Blinken is chosen as secretary of state, while Jake Sullivan is Biden's pick for national security adviser

James FretwellJames FretwellNovember 24, 2020
Evergreen

10 years ago, North Korea enraged the South with deadly border island attack

North Korea’s shelling of Yeonpyeong Island killed two civilians, sparking tensions along the inter-Korean sea border

James FretwellJames FretwellNovember 20, 2020
Analysis

Four years of Biden: Less summitry, more realistic plans for North Korea’s nukes

The president-elect and his advisors will likely pursue a phased arms control approach to the North Korea nuclear issue

James FretwellJames FretwellNovember 7, 2020
Features

70 years ago in freezing North Korea, China crushed US hopes of a war victory

Americans would not be spending Christmas in the States as planned, but in Korea fighting the cold and the Communists

James FretwellJames FretwellOctober 23, 2020