This article focuses on Russia's Korean policy since 2012. That year was very important: in North Korea, Kim Jong-un had just come to power at the end of 2011; in Russia, Vladimir Putin returned to the presidential office in May; and in South Korea, leadership changed in the aftermath of Park Geun-hye winning the December presidential election. These changes involved major shifts in foreign policy strategy and prompted foreign states to seek new opportunities for cooperation. In 2016, a new string of important developments has been set in motion: North Korea’s January nuclear test followed by its long-distance missile test in February, South Korea’s comprehensive rejection of economic ties with North Korea including those involving Russia in February, the Security Council’s Resolution 2270 greatly expanding sanctions on the North in March, and Seoul’s July decision to deploy THAAD against the strong objections of Russia and China. These developments may reflect shifts in strategy, intensifying competition even as elements of cooperation have been renewed. A close look at Russian reactions—both aspiring to new types of cooperation and warning of severe consequences—is warranted since Russia considers itself a major player in the jockeying over the future of the Korean Peninsula.

Read full article at www.theasanforum.org.