Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin In briefGuest Speaker - Dr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin (University of Tunis El Manar)Title - North Korea’s Paradoxical (Anti-)Nuclearism, 1949-1976Series - Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series 2022 to 23About the eventNorth Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)) is a de facto nuclear weapon state, having undertaken six tests between 2006 and 2017.Through a series of nuclear crises since the early 1990s, Pyongyang has not only emphasised its sovereign right to explore nuclear options as an inevitable response to a hostile USA while consistently embracing an anti-nuclear stance, maintaining a commitment to the ‘denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula’.This nuclear posture - ‘arm, to disarm’ - stressing the inevitability of nuclear-arming while at the same time pledging a normative anti-nuclear commitment to denuclearisation, contains seemingly irreconcilable elements.This challenges rationalist IR theories, which are unable to adequately explain the DPRK’s position, characterising it as either a tactical diversion to disguise realist motivations or a negotiation leverage to induce economic and strategic concessions.Dr Shin offers an alternative analysis, seeking to decode the DPRK’s seemingly contradictory nuclear posture by arguing that Pyongyang’s anti-nuclear posture has deep Cold War roots aimed at hedging its security inferiority vis-à-vis nuclear-armed enemies.Her talk focuses on the Cold War security nexus in East Asia and examines how Pyongyang’s engagement in the anti-nuclear movement evolved to shape its seemingly irreconcilable ‘arm, to disarm’ nuclearism.About the speakerDr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin is assistant professor in International Relations at the University of Tunis El Manar.Her research focuses on international relations in East Asia with specific reference to the US-ROK alliance, Sino-US relations, inter-Korean relations, middle power studies, and North Korean nuclear discourse.About the distinguished lecture seriesEach year, the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies welcomes a fantastic range of guest speakers to give a free public lecture.Previous lecture topics have included Korean literature, poetry, and cinema, North Korean development, East Asian international relations, Korean history and society, and queer Korea.Often, speakers will present on recent publications, and audiences have the opportunity to participate in question and answer sessions after presentations.Some of the lectures are recorded and uploaded to the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies’ YouTube channel and Facebook page.This year, some of our lectures are also part of the Asian Studies Seminar Series.How to joinLectures are free and everyone is welcome. No registration required.Are you interested in studying with us?Take a postgraduate degree in Korean Studies with us and explore one of the most dynamic countries in East Asia, gaining a unique vantage point on crucial topics of relevance across the Northeast Asian region and the globe. We offer a taught MSc, an MSc by Research, and a PhD in Korean Studies.Find out more about Korean Studies at Edinburgh Jan 25 2023 11.00 - 13.00 Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin Join the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies for an in-person seminar by Dr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin (University of Tunis El Manar) analysing North Korea's engagement in the anti-nuclear movement during the Cold War. Project Room 1.06 50 George Square Edinburgh EH8 9LH Find the venue: 50 George Square
Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin In briefGuest Speaker - Dr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin (University of Tunis El Manar)Title - North Korea’s Paradoxical (Anti-)Nuclearism, 1949-1976Series - Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series 2022 to 23About the eventNorth Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)) is a de facto nuclear weapon state, having undertaken six tests between 2006 and 2017.Through a series of nuclear crises since the early 1990s, Pyongyang has not only emphasised its sovereign right to explore nuclear options as an inevitable response to a hostile USA while consistently embracing an anti-nuclear stance, maintaining a commitment to the ‘denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula’.This nuclear posture - ‘arm, to disarm’ - stressing the inevitability of nuclear-arming while at the same time pledging a normative anti-nuclear commitment to denuclearisation, contains seemingly irreconcilable elements.This challenges rationalist IR theories, which are unable to adequately explain the DPRK’s position, characterising it as either a tactical diversion to disguise realist motivations or a negotiation leverage to induce economic and strategic concessions.Dr Shin offers an alternative analysis, seeking to decode the DPRK’s seemingly contradictory nuclear posture by arguing that Pyongyang’s anti-nuclear posture has deep Cold War roots aimed at hedging its security inferiority vis-à-vis nuclear-armed enemies.Her talk focuses on the Cold War security nexus in East Asia and examines how Pyongyang’s engagement in the anti-nuclear movement evolved to shape its seemingly irreconcilable ‘arm, to disarm’ nuclearism.About the speakerDr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin is assistant professor in International Relations at the University of Tunis El Manar.Her research focuses on international relations in East Asia with specific reference to the US-ROK alliance, Sino-US relations, inter-Korean relations, middle power studies, and North Korean nuclear discourse.About the distinguished lecture seriesEach year, the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies welcomes a fantastic range of guest speakers to give a free public lecture.Previous lecture topics have included Korean literature, poetry, and cinema, North Korean development, East Asian international relations, Korean history and society, and queer Korea.Often, speakers will present on recent publications, and audiences have the opportunity to participate in question and answer sessions after presentations.Some of the lectures are recorded and uploaded to the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies’ YouTube channel and Facebook page.This year, some of our lectures are also part of the Asian Studies Seminar Series.How to joinLectures are free and everyone is welcome. No registration required.Are you interested in studying with us?Take a postgraduate degree in Korean Studies with us and explore one of the most dynamic countries in East Asia, gaining a unique vantage point on crucial topics of relevance across the Northeast Asian region and the globe. We offer a taught MSc, an MSc by Research, and a PhD in Korean Studies.Find out more about Korean Studies at Edinburgh Jan 25 2023 11.00 - 13.00 Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin Join the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies for an in-person seminar by Dr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin (University of Tunis El Manar) analysing North Korea's engagement in the anti-nuclear movement during the Cold War. Project Room 1.06 50 George Square Edinburgh EH8 9LH Find the venue: 50 George Square
Jan 25 2023 11.00 - 13.00 Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin Join the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies for an in-person seminar by Dr Soon-Ok (Jamie) Shin (University of Tunis El Manar) analysing North Korea's engagement in the anti-nuclear movement during the Cold War.
