Dialogue #32 | Seoul Between Moscow and Pyongyang
What are Seoul’s strategic options in response to North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia amid the Ukraine conflict? Dr. Lami Kim explores the risks of technology transfers, phased response strategies, and the delicate balance between deterrence and escalation in this evolving security challenge.
Currents Magazine: Celebrating Partnerships and Resilience
The summer edition of Currents, themed “Building Partnerships for Resilience,” features candid photos of Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies participants on the cover, engaging in courses, workshops, and visits that capture the theme.This issue includes a farewell message from outgoing Director Peter A. Gumataotao, reflecting on the Center’s nearly 30 years of fostering security cooperation. During his tenure, DKI APCSS adapted to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, launched the Security Nexus online journal, and strengthened ties among the region’s security professionals.
How Seoul Should Respond to North Korea’s Soldiers in Russia
A new OpEd by Dr. Lami Kim published by the United States Institute for Peace. As North Korean soldiers deploy to Russia, South Korea faces complex security challenges that could shift the regional military balance. North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war marks the first large-scale combat engagement of its military since the Korean War, exposing its troops to modern warfare and potentially securing lucrative cash flows from Russia, despite sanctions. Additionally, the specter of Moscow supplying Pyongyang with advanced military technologies threatens to destabilize the Korean Peninsula.
IPOC 24-2, Part of the Ohana
U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Holly Beard, stationed at Fort Shafter, typically has a 10-minute commute to the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) campus in Waikiki. However, it took nearly a year for her to get in its doors to attend the highly sought-after Indo-Pacific Orientation Course (IPOC). “Not only did I hear there were more than 100 people on the waitlist for this course, I personally applied almost a year ago, and it’s taken me that long to get in,” said Beard, sitting in the shade of the 200-year-old monkeypod tree that anchors the gardens surrounding Maluhia Hall at DKI APCSS. A civil affairs officer, Beard found IPOC 24-2 a valuable learning experience. “It’s a very fast-paced, but also relevant, orientation to the Indo-Pacific theater—not only from a Department of Defense lens, but with a strong presence from the State Department and other allies and partners.” As a reservist, Beard said she rarely has the time to dive into such topics. “Something I really hope to take back to my team is a better understanding of the complexities associated with this theater,” she added. Held in October 2024, IPOC 24-2 was an executive education course designed for mid-career to senior-level security practitioners to enhance their ability to engage in cooperative security efforts that advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.
A Security Nexus Perspective on Water Quality and Regional Stability
“Water, Water, Everywhere: Advancing Water Security Through Improving Water Quality,” authored by DKI APCSS Professor Ethan Allen, explores the essential role of water quality technology in bolstering water security across the Indo-Pacific region. This piece highlights how advancements in decontamination technologies are vital to addressing water contamination, which is worsening due to climate change, population growth, and pollution. Professor Allen explains that many communities in the region rely on compromised water sources for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses. The article reviews progress in filtration, heat, chemical treatments, and evaporation-re-condensation methods for removing various pollutants. Noteworthy innovations, such as atmospheric water generation and solar distillation, present adaptable and sustainable solutions to water scarcity.
New Director for Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies Named
HONOLULU –The Department of Defense has approved the selection of retired US Army Maj. Gen. Suzanne (Suzy) Puanani Vares-Lum as director of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS), a Department of Defense organization dedicated to advancing security cooperation in the region. Vares-Lum was born and raised in Hawaiʻi and is an alumna of the Center’s Transnational Security Cooperation course (TSC16-2). She is the first native Hawaiian and the first alumni to serve as the Center’s director. She comes to the Center after serving as President of the East-West Center since 2022. As a retired major general with 34 years of service, Vares-Lum has held key roles addressing priority national security challenges in the region. She brings a wealth of executive leadership experience, including five years serving with and advising the senior officials at US Indo-Pacific Command, where she cultivated and supported key relationships with nations throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Dialogue | Episode 31: Indo-Pacific Underwater Competition
Dive deep into the future of underwater competition with leading experts from around the globe! This webinar unites five specialists from Korea, the United States, and India to explore the critical challenges and emerging technologies in underwater competition, maritime domain awareness, seabed warfare, and the protection of vital submarine cables.
Dialogue Episode 30 | Conflict’s End in Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine grinds on with no clear resolution in sight, the international community faces mounting pressure to explore pathways toward ending the conflict. Ukraine’s uncertain future was the focus of Episode 30 of Dialogue, “Conflict’s End in Ukraine,” where DKI APCSS professor Dr. James Minnich discussed these dynamics with Dr. Marzena Żakowska, an assistant professor and lecturer at the Faculty of National Security at War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland.
A Climate Resilience Toolkit for Security in Big Ocean Small State Islands
The paper discusses a foresight tabletop exercise that explored how rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and climate variability could impact BOSS islands such as the Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles. Through the analysis of three future climate scenarios, the exercise produced 34 policy recommendations aimed at enhancing adaptive capacity in areas such as governance, infrastructure, and international cooperation. The recommendations also highlight the need for resilient infrastructure, financial mechanisms, and ecosystem-based management.
Dialogue | Episode 29: Malaysia Between Giants
As the geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific continues to evolve, Malaysia finds itself navigating a delicate balance between two global superpowers: the United States and China. This intricate maneuvering was the focus of Episode 29 of Dialogue, “Malaysia Between Giants,” where DKI APCSS professor Dr. James Minnich discussed these dynamics with Elina Noor of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Chairs Inaugural Plenary Meeting of Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience
On October 7-8, 2024, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante chaired the inaugural plenary meeting of the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) in Honolulu, HI. National Armament Directors, and similarly positioned senior leaders, joined him from all PIPIR member nations in both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions. The engagement was hosted by the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
The Security Nexus Webinar | Episode 28: Law and Rising Seas: Navigating Ocean Change
In the face of rising sea levels, Pacific Island nations are waging a critical battle—not with weapons, but with international law. Their fight for survival was the focus of Episode 28 of Dialogue, “Law and Rising Seas,” where DKI APCSS professor Dr. James Minnich spoke with Dr. Joanna Siekiera, Assistant Professor at War Studies University, Warsaw, Poland.
A Security Nexus Perspective on Water Security
Richa Parikh’s article, “Addressing Sexual Harassment in the Pacific: Implications for Gender Equality, Economic Development, and Women in Fiji,” explores how workplace sexual harassment in the Pacific, particularly in Fiji, undermines gender equality and economic development. Despite legislative advances, cultural and institutional barriers continue to allow harassment, which impacts women’s workforce participation and hinders economic progress.
Addressing Sexual Harassment in the Pacific
Richa Parikh’s article, “Addressing Sexual Harassment in the Pacific: Implications for Gender Equality, Economic Development, and Women in Fiji,” explores how workplace sexual harassment in the Pacific, particularly in Fiji, undermines gender equality and economic development. Despite legislative advances, cultural and institutional barriers continue to allow harassment, which impacts women’s workforce participation and hinders economic progress.
Building Climate Resilience in Small Island Developing States: Partnerships for Adaption in the Indian Ocean Region
The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies recently hosted a workshop on “Building Climate Resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Partnerships for Adaption in the Indian Ocean Region” from Sept. 9 to 12 in Vihamanaafushi, North Male Atoll, Maldives.
Workshop Held to Review Maldives’ Strategy on Preventing Violent Extremism
The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS), in collaboration with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) of the Maldives, hosted a workshop aimed at revising and updating the country’s strategy on preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). The one-day event was designed to help the NCTC assess and improve the National Strategy on P/CVE (NS-PCVE) and its associated National Action Plan (NAP-PCVE).
