UMass Boston

Security & Human Security

Korean Peninsula Project: National/Human Security and Democracy in the Korean Peninsula and Relevant Security and Peace in Northeast Asia

Project Director: Dr. Jay Jinseop Jang (Senior Fellow)

Themes

  • National security and human security in South Korea
  • Human rights, human security, and democratization in North Korea
  • Human security of North Korean refugees
  • Security and peace in Northeast Asia

Background: The Importance of the Korean Peninsula in Security Studies to Reinforce Democracy and Maintain Peace

The Korean Peninsula holds a unique position in security studies and global security due to its geopolitical significance and historical circumstances. From a national security perspective, the Peninsula is a focal point of power dynamics in East Asia, with North and South Korea embodying divergent political systems. The ongoing issues, such as nuclear proliferation in North Korea and China-US tension in East Asia, extend beyond the two Koreas and have significant implications for neighboring countries like China, Russia, Japan, and the U.S., impacting international security.

Furthermore, the Korean Peninsula serves as a crucial case study for understanding human security. The stark contrast in human rights conditions and societal structures between North and South Korea provides a rich context for analyzing the impact of different political systems on individual freedoms, social stability, and human development. Notably, the well-known human security problems in North Korea are alarming, and less-known challenges faced by North Korean refugees/defectors residing in wealthier South Korea are also serious and complicated.1 The ongoing tension also raises the risk of conflict escalation, emphasizing the need for peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of the region's population. In addition, South Korea has faced social and economic challenges that threaten South Koreans in the near future. These challenges include a rapidly diminishing population and shrinking non-Seoul provincial societies. Therefore, studying the Korean Peninsula offers essential insights into the complex interplay of national security, international security, and human security in a global context.

Description: Enhancing Understanding and Influencing Policies

The Korean Peninsula Project is a scholarly endeavor aiming to enhance understanding and shape public discourses on the national and human security implications in the region, both domestically and internationally. This initiative fosters research and facilitates dialogues between scholars and practitioners to exchange insights, build international networks, and influence policy.

With a long-term vision, the Project aims to contribute to three primary outcomes. First, it aspires to build a consensus in the international community around peaceful strategies to ensure stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Second, it is committed to enhancing the human security of the Peninsula's inhabitants, particularly those in North Korea. Finally, it aims to strengthen democracy in the region. In striving for these outcomes, the Korean Peninsula Project emphasizes its commitment to research, dialogue, and policy development that fosters peace and prosperity in this vital region.

1Severe economic insecurity, cultural dislocation, and social isolation causes a considerable number of North Korean refugees to actually regret leaving North Korea, as they lose faith in the opportunities that a democratic society can offer, and lead to a very high suicide rate: on average, more than 17% of North Korea defectors in South Korea will attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime, and their suicide rate is more than triple the overall national rate of South Korea, which is already highest among OECD countries. (An, J. H., Lee, K. E., Lee, H. C., Kim, H. S., Jun, J. Y., Chang, H. I., Kim, S. S., Lee-Tauler, S. Y., & Hong, J. P. (2018). Prevalence and correlates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among North Korean defectors. Psychiatry Investigation, 15(5), 445–451. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2017.11.08.3; Lee, Min-ju. “N. Korean defectors' suicide rate triple that of S. Koreans”. Korea Biomedical Review, May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2022, from http://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3192)