Relations between South Korea and Japan have recently taken a turn for the worse. The decision of Seoul to pull out of an intelligence-sharing agreement with Tokyo is but the latest in a series of blows that have damaged a previously solid consensus on trade and finance. The current hostilities have created a cultural and institutional crisis.

In this seminar an outstanding panel of experts will consider what might be the deeper causes of the conflict. Can the fallout be traced back primarily to memories of the past, or are larger economic and geopolitical shifts responsible? How far will the split go, and how is it tied to similar conflicts that are arising around the world as part of the great unraveling of established institutions and shared values? What hope is there for building a new consensus between these two countries, and in the region?

Please join us for this seminar cosponsored by the Asia Institute and Foreign Policy in Focus.

SPEAKERS:

• John Feffer, Director, Foreign Policy in Focus
• Jenny Town, Managing Editor, 38 North Stimson Center
• Stephen Costello, CEO, Asia East

Moderated by Emanuel Pastreich, Director, The Asia Institute