Dialogue #34 Sri Lanka’s Tide Turns
Sri Lanka’s November 14 election marks a historic turning point, with the potential to reshape its future and inspire regional renewal. This episode explores its challenges, opportunities, and regional implications.
Dialogue #33 | Sustainability and Responsibility in Space
The space race isn’t over; it has simply evolved into a new, more complex phase. While Cold War rivalries may have faded, a different kind of competition is now underway – a race to ensure the long-term sustainability of this critical domain. With the number of satellites and space actors growing exponentially, the need for responsible behavior and international cooperation has never been more pressing. This was the central theme of Dialogue 33, where experts Dr. Namrata Goswami and Sam Wilson joined DKI APCSS professors Dr. James Minnich and Dr. Al Oehlers to explore the critical challenges and opportunities in securing the future of space.
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.
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.
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
“Water Security as an Essential Component of the Defense Industrial Base” is the latest perspective piece by DKI APCSS’s own DR. Deon Canyon. The article highlights the important role water security plays in maintaining military readiness and national defense. The defense industrial base, which relies on water for manufacturing, cooling, and sustaining installations, faces significant vulnerabilities due to water scarcity driven by climate change, population growth, and resource competition.
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.
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).
Dr. Miemie Byrd’s latest article for the Diplomat
Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd’s latest article Myanmar is Not About to Become a ‘Fractured’ State was recently published by The Diplomat. Her article looks at political linkages between the country’s resistance groups, and their determination to build a federal democracy.
