ISDP Voices

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has affected international politics in all regions. This war has turned into the symbol of a new international era in which great power competition has revived and local wars have become more and more the arena of conflict and competition between the great powers. Although Russia was able […]

From the beginning, nuclear issues in Iran have always gathered plenty of international media debate. In retrospect, it is clear that the nuclear deal with Iran had very little chance of being revived and one should remain wary of another wave of media hype in the future. From 1992, Europe and Iran were engaged in […]

An old Korean idiom avers that September is the season ‘when horses gain weight and the sky is high (천고마비 天高馬肥)’, meaning a time of ease and relaxation. As autumn weighs in, Koreans often can see a clear sky with no clouds. However, September is also the season of terror for many: the 9/11 attack […]

On May 19-21 next year, the Japanese government will host the G7 Hiroshima Summit. It is assumed that Prime Minister Kishida Fumio plans to express a strong diplomatic message for peace and nuclear disarmament by announcing a so-called “Hiroshima Action Plan” at the summit. Global issues, such as world economy, food deficiency, and the energy […]

The international coalition that banded together in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrates democracies’ ability to endure national discomfort to confront authoritarian challenges to territorial integrity, sovereignty, and self-determination. Six months into the invasion, support for sanction packages on Russia remains high across the U.S. (80 percent) and allies in Europe (78 percent in […]

Last month, Indonesia celebrated the 77th anniversary of its independence. During the annual state of the nation address on August 16, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo spoke briefly yet strongly on Indonesia’s position in the global constellation. Jokowi listed out Indonesia’s current high-profile global engagements, such as it being a “champion” of the United Nations’ […]

The first in-person ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) was concluded in Los Angeles last week (Sept 8-9, 2022). Ministers from 14 countries got together in Los Angeles (LA) for a two-day meeting, co-hosted by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Representing around 40 percent of the global […]

While responding to questions after delivering a lecture on “India’s Vision of the Indo-Pacific” at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on August 18, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, emphasized that the “Asian Century would not happen if the two neighbors could not join hands.” He also reiterated these remarks on August 29 at the launch […]

Much to the lament of the international community, the recent Tenth Review Conference (RevCon) of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ended inconclusively, in no small part owing to the action of one particular state. It is telling that four days after this RevCon’s unsatisfactory conclusion, the world would lose […]