Optimism about this turn of events must be tempered with cautious realism. North Korea is the nuclear problem from hell. Neither South Korea nor the United States can control the narrative; definitions of success or failure are highly relative; and Trump must enter the talks with no exit strategy.

Parties concerned should seize the opportunity to resume dialogue on denuclearization.

Can the Olympic spirit lead to a diplomatic process that will effectively promote peace and development in Northeast Asia?

Will the proposed meeting between Trump and Kim be "possible progress" or "false hope"?

South Korea may discover the inherent, potentially tragic, drawback of relying on the security protection that a distant great power provides. Crucial decisions about the ROK’s future will be made in Washington, not Seoul.

South Korea’s efforts to have North Korea participate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics may have yielded an opportunity for dialogue in the form of Kim Jong-un’s recent summit invitation to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. If President Moon accepts, a South-North summit could provide an opportunity to test whether diplomacy can resolve the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

The 2018 U.S. Nuclear Posture Review makes a number of claims about growing Chinese military capabilities and the need for even greater investment in nuclear modernization to counter these supposed threats. Benjamin Reynolds analyzes the key points of this document that relate to China.

Pence met with Japanese Prime Minister Abe on his way to the Winter Olympics in S. Korea.