Junotane

My name is Jeffrey Robertson, aka Junotane. On this site, I write on foreign policy, diplomacy and the Korean Peninsula.

As an advisory warning, it’s direct, no holds barred, cutting commentary from in-country. It may offend. There’s no government baloney, no corporate cream, and no thinktank spruiking. Just free-thinking insight - commentary, analysis and fiction.

From here you can head on over to read About Junotane, including subscriptions and contact details; or you can head straight to the Writing section where you will find Analysis, Commentary, and Fiction on the Korean Peninsula and the the region.

Thanks for visiting and remember: be thankful, be nice, and help people - life is short :)

South Korea and lethal aid to Ukraine
South Korea and lethal aid to Ukraine

A Russian delegation, led by Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Moscow's Security Council, visited North Korea 13-14 September. South Korea continues to withhold lethal military aid to Kyiv despite increased cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

2024 09 16

South Korea’s foreign affairs and presidential popularity
South Korea’s foreign affairs and presidential popularity

Dissatisfaction with Yoon's unilateral leadership style, economic challenges, and diplomatic performance has led to a sharp decline in popularity.

2024 09 14

South Korea’s forced adoption scandal
South Korea’s forced adoption scandal

An investigation has revealed that thousands of South Korean mothers were coerced into giving up their babies for international adoption during the 1960s-1980s.

2024 09 14

The Incheon Port Road
The Incheon Port Road

There are events in life wholly unbelievable. Events we look back on and imagine everything would be so different, if only there were five words, four meters, three cars, or two seconds separating one action from another.

2024 09 12

What makes a good foreign policy analyst?
What makes a good foreign policy analyst?

Here are just a few points to bring up the next time someone says you don’t speak Korean well enough, or you didn’t study enough international relations

2024 09 09

Koreans are buying gold
Koreans are buying gold

The Bank of Korea (BoK) remains cautious about gold purchases, prioritizing dollar reserves, while domestic demand for gold surges through retail sales.

2024 09 07

The Washington blob and Korea analysis
The Washington blob and Korea analysis

Think-tanks know how to influence U.S. policy but to be more useful, they need to diversify their perspectives, challenge the status quo, and start thinking creatively about the Korean Peninsula.

2024 09 02

Recruiting friendlies: The gray areas between diplomacy and espionage
Recruiting friendlies: The gray areas between diplomacy and espionage

Most don’t know they’re engaged in espionage until it’s too late and the better the recruitment process, the less likely that the agent is even aware they are being recruited.

2024 08 28

Recruiting friendlies - Korea RASCALS
Recruiting friendlies - Korea RASCALS

Espionage, often depicted as a world of intrigue and danger, is actually boring and emotionally draining. It’s about waiting and human weakness.

2024 08 28

Dancing in-sync or solo: Korea and the US election
Dancing in-sync or solo: Korea and the US election

In the coming days, there will be A LOT of articles with commentators giving their advice on what a Harris or Trump Administration would mean for South Korea.

2024 08 27