NEWS & EVENTS

The political economy of energy security in Korea and Japan

On Thursday, September 21, Reischauer Center members and SAIS students gathered to listen to Professor Seong-ik Oh discuss the political economy of energy security in Korea and Japan.

In his analysis, Professor Oh emphasized the fact that despite their similarities, the distinct political structures of Japan and South Korea have resulted in divergent approaches to addressing their respective energy security challenges. Exploring this causal relationship, Professor Oh outlined the findings from his book, “Overseas Energy Investment of Korea and Japan: How Did Two East Asian Resources-Rare Industrial Giants Respond to Energy Security Challenges?” Notably, Professor Oh highlighted the manner in which distinct political structures give rise to varying dynamics between policymakers and veto actors.

In the Q&A session, Professor Oh also clarified the reason that Japan has more veto actors than South Korea is attributed to Japan’s bicameral parliament, compared to South Korea’s unicameral system.