Media Contributions

Quoted in Nikkei regarding North Korean participation at the ASEAN Regional Forum (link):

"The ARF sometimes provides opportunity for quiet diplomacy with North Korean representatives on the meeting's sidelines, but this may not be possible in the virtual format," said Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. "So the North Korean ambassador is likely to stick with Pyongyang's recent talking points of showing some interest in dialogue while trying to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington on defense exercises."

Quoted in VnExpress regarding the economic and human toll of the military takeover in Myanmar (link):

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in South Korea, said Myanmar's coup and ongoing political crisis could set back international investment and economic development by several years, and national reconciliation may be delayed by a decade. The international community must not allow Myanmar's military leaders and business cronies to profit from overturning results of a democratic election and removing the civilian government. Most urgently, the generals need to be deterred from employing even more violence against the people. Humanitarian assistance to Myanmar should actually increase, if it can reach needy citizens, prevent greater instability in ethnic regions, and aid persecuted minorities like the Rohingya.

Quoted in VnExpress regarding ASEAN's role in dealing with the coup in Myanmar (link):

Leif-Eric Easley, Associate Professor of International Studies at Ewha Womans University in South Korea, noted that the crisis in Myanmar is of the type for which ASEAN is particularly ill-equipped because of its institutional deference to sovereignty and consensus. Appeals regarding the ASEAN Charter are not going to free Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders nor deter Myanmar's generals from committing further violence against the people. ASEAN could help by pressuring the Myanmar military to allow the U.N. special envoy to visit the country and meet with detainees, Easley said.

Quoted in the South China Morning Post regarding the civil disobedience movement against the coup in Myanmar (link):

Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said the CDM would soon face resource constraints and tougher crackdowns from security forces, adding that setting up an alternative government, as has been mooted, "may risk even greater bloodshed"...Easley said that the international response needs to be short, sharp and as united as possible, and that there is no excuse why countries with significant economic leverage over Myanmar such as Singapore, Thailand, India and Japan should not increase pressure on the generals. "The theory that Myanmar will just run to the arms of China is overstated," Easley said, pointing out that it was the generals who made the strategic decision a decade ago to diversify away from Beijing because of its heavy influence over the economy and ethnic armed groups in the Southeast Asian nation.

Quoted in the Singapore Straits Times on how President Moon has now visited all ten countries in ASEAN, as Prime Minister Abe did in 2013 (link):

Professor Leif-Eric Easley of Ewha Womans University said Mr Moon had managed to catch up with Japan's proactive diplomatic outreach to ASEAN under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but warned against a race to win over ASEAN nations. Prof Easley said: "Moon's New Southern Policy can better tie into complementary efforts by the US, India, Australia and Japan. Southeast Asian partners do not want to be pulled into a spat between Seoul and Tokyo; instead, they want economic development and strengthened regional norms to leverage in their relations with China."

Quoted in the Korea Times regarding South Korea's 'New Southern Policy' and President Moon's visits to Thailand, Myanmar and Laos (link):

"Moon's approach is people-focused, emphasizing shared values for peace, and promoting common interests in prosperity. Such positive messages are welcome when many governments are anxious about tensions between Washington and Beijing," Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul said via e-mail. "Regional security contributions can also help Seoul in its alliance cost sharing negotiations with the United States. South Korea needs to network with different national efforts rather than play to regional rivalries. The New Southern Policy should complement and coordinate with, rather than balance against, Japan or China," Easley added.