KJC Korea
Journal Central

This essay explores the domestic sources of ‘America First’ trade policy pursued by the Trump administration. Two domestic factors are taken into account to improve our understanding of the recent U.S. trade policy. One is the polarization of American politics that has become an enduring feature since the 1980s, while the other is the Great Recession of 2007~2009. Trump as a populist politician has mobilized the social foundation of America First trade politics against the backdrop of ever-increasing polarization and inequality. The current U.S. stance toward international commerce reflects the popular challenge to the ‘neoliberal consensus’ within the Washington political class. The Great Recession has catalyzed the backlash against the long-standing policies in favor of globalization and economic openness pursued by both Democratic and Republican administrations since the 1980s.

Energy cooperation between Russia and China is one of the oldest theme that has been discussed already several decades ago. Although head of two countries and deputy have signed several document and agreement, no specific step for practical cooperation has yet started. The main problem was price gap between two countries and there are other different opinion regarding loan offering and gas supply route. This study employed Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model in order to examine the reason of delay and conflict between two countries. In addition, this study examined the strategical meaning of Russian natural gas for both countries and northeast Asian market. The analysis showed that China has already secured plenty of potential gas supplier and stable natural gas importing infrastructure, such as Central Asia – China Pipeline and LNG regasification facility in east coast where has huge natural gas demand. On the other hands, Russia is compelled to rely on Chinese financing and purchasing, because no country can import huge volume of natural gas in Northeast Asian market especially PNG. In this state, China can hold a lead in negotiation and persistently seeking for maximizing its own national interest. Once the Power of Siberia will have built in 2019, Russian natural gas would shipped to China. However, there is no guarantee that Russia can sell their planned amount of natural gas to China, considering the fact that China already has plenty of potential gas sources. But the influx of Russian natural gas to Northeast region may intensify the market competition and would bring about natural gas market changes.

Thirty years have passed since Hong Kong returned to China. Hong Kong is economically very tightly integrated with China, but Hong Kong and China, especially Hong Kong and China, are not chemically combined. However, the proportion of Hong Kong residents who regard their identity as "Chinese" has continued to decline since 2008. At present, economic cooperation between Hong Kong and China is taking place in many areas. However, 30 years after Hong Kong returned to mainland China, anti-Chineseization phenomenon like "umbrella revolution" has happened. It can not be said that this revolution is not only a demand for democratization, but also the inequality of economic growth and the thirst for employment that young people are experiencing so far. According to the logic of capital, it is a matter of course, and the Chinese and Chinese capital will be the same. This, of course, would have implications for Hong Kong citizens about the continent they feel about China and their belief in democracy. Also, the complaints about China, which many Hong Kongers now feel, will not be limited to the inequality of economic growth. It is time for Hong Kong to achieve development and growth through any combination with China. The political offensive in the Chinese continent is expected to become stronger in the future for the Chinese government, and a sharp confrontation with the identity problem of Hong Kong indigenous forces will occur. It is time for a new Hong Kong philosophical review to meet the new trend of Hong Kong which is bound to be dulled by the unity of this external force and it is a time to seek change of identity beyond the indigenous way of thinking.

International Student Mobility(ISM) has been dominated by flows from South to North, East to West and mostly towards English-speaking countries. ISM of this kind has been the focus of much academic research, however, much less is known about new mobility trends: student mobility within and towards East Asia. Korea has increasingly been attracting international students, primarily from Asia but also from Europe. Studies on Asian students are growing; however, research on the growing number of European students seems to be non-existent. This study aims to help to fill the gap by analizing the study motives and decisions of European students to undertake studies in Korea. Using theories of push and pull factor on international students from France, Russia, Germany, England and the Netherlands this study demonstrates some major findings. Except students from Russia, the great majority of European students enter Korea as exchange students for a few semesters. This has been encouraged by numerous partnerships between Korea and Europeans universities. Geographical proximity, scholarships, and better job prospects seem to inspire many Russian students to pursue a degree in Korea. Mostly as a result of Hallyu Korean language courses are particularly popular among Russian and French students. Prior to arrival, most European students tend to perceive Korea as an appealing exotic and unknown country, valued for quality higher education, travel adventures and good career prospects, the latter especially by students from England. To enhance the understanding of West to East educational migration more studies on Western students in Korea are needed.