U.S. policy ‘breakthroughs’ in Asia hit a series of reality walls

By on    China, Exclusives, Japan, NE Asia, North Korea, South Korea, Stateside, Top Stories, U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics, World Links  

U.S. policy ‘breakthroughs’ in Asia hit a series of reality walls

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com WASHINGTON — Call it a matter of conflicting — or colliding — messages. South Korean conservatives have forced a free-trade agreement with the United States through a fractious National Assembly. A U.S. Congress “supercommittee” has demonstrated the weakness of the American system of governance by abject, humiliating failure […]

S. Koreans elect a Seoul-mate for North as pendulum swings to anti-Americanism

By on    Exclusives, NE Asia, North Korea, South Korea, Top Stories, World Links  

S. Koreans elect a Seoul-mate for North as pendulum swings to anti-Americanism

By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — The timing of the annual descent on South Korea of the United States defense chief was uncanny. Here the people of the South Korean capital had just elected an anti-American, anti-bases, anti-everything protester as their mayor, and here was Leon Panetta, the defense secretary, talking about the North Koreans’ non-stop “threat” […]