Commonwealth Club of California Podcast Korean Fallout: Impeachment, Nuclear Tests and K-pop
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Mar 3, 2025 In a riveting discussion, Victor Cha, a renowned expert on Korean geopolitics, and Ramon Pacheco Pardo, an international relations professor, delve into Korea's tumultuous political scene. They explore the implications of North Korea’s nuclear tests and the potential for future U.S.-North Korea relations under Trump. The conversation highlights South Korea's cultural renaissance through K-pop and addresses its rapid economic transformation, societal challenges, and the parallels with Ukraine’s recovery efforts, making for a compelling analysis of the intertwined fates of the Koreas.
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A New History of Korea
- The book "Korea: A New History of South and North" offers fresh insights into the Korean peninsula.
- It serves as a sequel to Don Oberdorfer's "The Two Koreas," covering events up to 2024.
Collaboration and Misconceptions
- While co-authoring, a senior Korean professor mistakenly assumed Ramon Pacheco Pardo did all the writing.
- Pardo clarifies it was a collaborative 50-50 effort.
American vs. European Perspectives on Korea
- Victor Cha's American perspective on Korea is alliance-centric, focusing on the US role.
- Co-authoring with Pardo broadened his view to include Korean societal factors.
