"Trade wars," President Donald Trump recently declared on Twitter, “are good, and easy to win.” But it’s questionable whether the president’s proposed tariffs -- a tax of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on imported aluminum -- will be a war or an act of friendly fire.　Tariffs are generally not a good way to promote domestic industry. They encourage American producers to hunker down behind the tax’s protective wall, focusing on the captive local market instead of figuring out how to p

Now that the shock of President Donald Trump’s decision to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un in May has worn off, it’s time to consider the broader strategic implications of how the US can best approach Kim’s lethal regime in particular, and Asia in general.　Let’s start with the tactical: Trump’s remarkable gamble of essentially “taking a meeting” with Kim is a fascinating new twist on traditional diplomacy. It will certainly capture headlines, but will it really change anything? Doubt

As with other major political events, when and how are important in amending the Constitution, which was last revised in 1987 and is outdated in many respects. Last year, there was strong consensus about when to revise the basic law, as seen by the fact that all major presidential candidates for the May election agreed to put an amendment bill to a national referendum alongside local elections on June 13 this year. That reflected the public sentiment that the Constitution, which gives the presid

Steve Bannon went to Italy to root for the neo-fascists and populists who trounced Italy’s traditional parties in last week’s election.　Donald Trump’s ex-chief political strategist, who avidly encouraged the president’s most populist and nationalist instincts, now sees Italy as the model for the American future. He claims that Italy’s antiestablishment, anti-immigrant parties -- which avidly embrace conspiracy theories and idolize Vladimir Putin -- light the road that America must follow.　Yet I

Australia has won a reprieve from the US’ global steel and aluminum tariffs after Canada and Mexico were granted temporary exemptions to them.　South Korea must demonstrate its ability to secure an exemption from the tariffs by March 23 when they will be enforced.　With both positive and negative signs mixed for the present, it is hard to see which way the wind is blowing. Trump signed an order imposing 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum on March 8. The legal basis of the order

It is vital to carefully assess North Korea’s real intent, thoroughly prepare a strategy and make other arrangements to force the country to abandon its nuclear and missile programs.US President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to hold talks with Kim Jong-un, chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, in an effort to denuclearize North Korea. Trump is said to be willing to have the summit talks by May, after a South Korean special delegation conveyed to him Kim’s desire for talks at the ea

Just a few weeks ago, the United States and North Korea were threatening to wipe each other off the face of Earth. Today, there is talk of an upcoming meeting, possibly in May, between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.It will be, indeed, an unprecedented encounter. The invitation came from Pyongyang via South Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-young, after his recent visit to North Korea. Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile program will be on the agenda for the