John Delury
@johndelury.bsky.social
Living in Seoul... writing on empire, China, and America... watching the two Koreas... reminiscing about Rome
Spotted on street corner in Seoul
July 28, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Spotted on street corner in Seoul
China may be sitting on the sidelines of the US/Israel-Iran War... but is this a ring they want to be in?
(Do Americans really want to be in this ring, for that matter?)
my thoughts in @washingtonpost.com
(Do Americans really want to be in this ring, for that matter?)
my thoughts in @washingtonpost.com
June 26, 2025 at 5:29 AM
China may be sitting on the sidelines of the US/Israel-Iran War... but is this a ring they want to be in?
(Do Americans really want to be in this ring, for that matter?)
my thoughts in @washingtonpost.com
(Do Americans really want to be in this ring, for that matter?)
my thoughts in @washingtonpost.com
The energy of the crowd running gently through the streets toward the square, all of us following the lead of a young nun in white habit, faces brimming in joyous anticipation, then the moment of revelation, the surprise (l'americano!), the chants 'viva la papa'-- it was something to behold!
May 9, 2025 at 4:46 AM
The energy of the crowd running gently through the streets toward the square, all of us following the lead of a young nun in white habit, faces brimming in joyous anticipation, then the moment of revelation, the surprise (l'americano!), the chants 'viva la papa'-- it was something to behold!
Whit Griswold became Yale's president in October 1950, as universities, led by UC Berkeley, were grappling with pressure to impose Loyalty Oaths on faculty & as the Korean War was about to go south. His inaugural address was a ringing defense of freedom of thought & solidarity among universities:
April 15, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Whit Griswold became Yale's president in October 1950, as universities, led by UC Berkeley, were grappling with pressure to impose Loyalty Oaths on faculty & as the Korean War was about to go south. His inaugural address was a ringing defense of freedom of thought & solidarity among universities:
Thanks to @nikkei.com @andysharpy.bsky.social for featuring my piece on political divide in South Korea since the December martial law fiasco
April 13, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Thanks to @nikkei.com @andysharpy.bsky.social for featuring my piece on political divide in South Korea since the December martial law fiasco
I also argued Trump would use tariffs as part of a negotiating strategy for leverage going into deal-making with Xi. If I was right, then we are not watching the Great Decoupling but rather the Art of the Deal. I'm not at all sure I was right FWIW. We shall see!
April 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I also argued Trump would use tariffs as part of a negotiating strategy for leverage going into deal-making with Xi. If I was right, then we are not watching the Great Decoupling but rather the Art of the Deal. I'm not at all sure I was right FWIW. We shall see!
Pre-inauguration, I argued Trump would have a trade-centric & 'China-first foreign policy'. That was not the case for the first couple months, when Ukraine, Greenland
& Panama stole attn. But in the last week, China has moved to the center (for how long?)
& Panama stole attn. But in the last week, China has moved to the center (for how long?)
April 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Pre-inauguration, I argued Trump would have a trade-centric & 'China-first foreign policy'. That was not the case for the first couple months, when Ukraine, Greenland
& Panama stole attn. But in the last week, China has moved to the center (for how long?)
& Panama stole attn. But in the last week, China has moved to the center (for how long?)
Charmed life of a giant in the field of China studies, with fascinating anecdotes about everyone from Zhou Enlai to Kim Daejung. And a mini travelogue of North Korea visit in 1972 to boot.
April 11, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Charmed life of a giant in the field of China studies, with fascinating anecdotes about everyone from Zhou Enlai to Kim Daejung. And a mini travelogue of North Korea visit in 1972 to boot.
$200 million on munitions in 3 weeks is how many years of annual budget for the US Institute of Peace and The Wilson Center, which tackle root causes of conflict & bring research to DC to help inform policy-making?
important reporting from @ewong.bsky.social
important reporting from @ewong.bsky.social
April 7, 2025 at 1:55 PM
$200 million on munitions in 3 weeks is how many years of annual budget for the US Institute of Peace and The Wilson Center, which tackle root causes of conflict & bring research to DC to help inform policy-making?
important reporting from @ewong.bsky.social
important reporting from @ewong.bsky.social
Besides being an amazing piece of literature, Han Kang's worked helped me understand the protests in Korea, emanating not from questions of policy but demons of history
April 5, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Besides being an amazing piece of literature, Han Kang's worked helped me understand the protests in Korea, emanating not from questions of policy but demons of history
Not much of a China strategy here.
April 3, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Not much of a China strategy here.
I also pondered how North Korea would respond. Would they be tempted to stir the pot? Overall, Pyongyang has been cautious, leaving the South to its own chaos.
April 2, 2025 at 9:48 AM
I also pondered how North Korea would respond. Would they be tempted to stir the pot? Overall, Pyongyang has been cautious, leaving the South to its own chaos.
Spring issue of Global Asia has just dropped, with a cover package on Martial Law in South Korea-- a topic that should get more global attention IMHO
www.globalasia.org/latest-issue...
www.globalasia.org/latest-issue...
March 26, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Spring issue of Global Asia has just dropped, with a cover package on Martial Law in South Korea-- a topic that should get more global attention IMHO
www.globalasia.org/latest-issue...
www.globalasia.org/latest-issue...
It was an honor to be invited back to Italian Parliament for the release of the fact-finding inquiry into Italy/ EU role in the Indo-Pacific. Interesting discussion & lively gathering of some of the best China/Asia experts on the peninsula
March 21, 2025 at 4:47 PM
It was an honor to be invited back to Italian Parliament for the release of the fact-finding inquiry into Italy/ EU role in the Indo-Pacific. Interesting discussion & lively gathering of some of the best China/Asia experts on the peninsula
I was extra happy to find myself in a city founded in the early 7th century by an Irish monk named Gallus. Shame I couldn't stay for St Patrick's Day to celebrate 1,400 years of 🇨🇭🇮🇪 connection!
March 14, 2025 at 4:32 PM
I was extra happy to find myself in a city founded in the early 7th century by an Irish monk named Gallus. Shame I couldn't stay for St Patrick's Day to celebrate 1,400 years of 🇨🇭🇮🇪 connection!
A red flag came in Sept last year when Yoon appointed his secret service chief as Defense Minister-- still most people thought the idea they would declare martial law was crazy
www.koreaherald.com/article/1042...
www.koreaherald.com/article/1042...
February 25, 2025 at 8:12 AM
A red flag came in Sept last year when Yoon appointed his secret service chief as Defense Minister-- still most people thought the idea they would declare martial law was crazy
www.koreaherald.com/article/1042...
www.koreaherald.com/article/1042...
As if there’s not enough to worry about, this, unfortunately, is a must-read
February 21, 2025 at 8:03 AM
As if there’s not enough to worry about, this, unfortunately, is a must-read
Good time for big picture
February 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Good time for big picture
Ca Foscari continues the tradition of Marco Polo, w / a superb program in Asian studies. And this is the view from the lobby of the department
February 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Ca Foscari continues the tradition of Marco Polo, w / a superb program in Asian studies. And this is the view from the lobby of the department
Venice, like Rome, is a great place to wander, mulling over the Janus-faced nature of states that are republics from the inside and empires from the outside, that develop elaborate mythologies to square that circle
February 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Venice, like Rome, is a great place to wander, mulling over the Janus-faced nature of states that are republics from the inside and empires from the outside, that develop elaborate mythologies to square that circle
Shared thoughts On Empire: Beijing, Washington, Rome, w/ students & faculty at Ca Foscari University in Venice… wish the topic were not as relevant as it is
February 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Shared thoughts On Empire: Beijing, Washington, Rome, w/ students & faculty at Ca Foscari University in Venice… wish the topic were not as relevant as it is
the Venetian solution to election interference
February 17, 2025 at 7:45 AM
the Venetian solution to election interference
In so far as the boilerplate matters:
- No mention at all of Japan or US-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation
- No mention of Taiwan, instead the euphemistic "aggression in the South China Sea"
- Reverts to orthodox formula of "complete denuclearization of DPRK", not trying to lure Kim Jong Un to talk
- No mention at all of Japan or US-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation
- No mention of Taiwan, instead the euphemistic "aggression in the South China Sea"
- Reverts to orthodox formula of "complete denuclearization of DPRK", not trying to lure Kim Jong Un to talk
February 15, 2025 at 2:31 PM
In so far as the boilerplate matters:
- No mention at all of Japan or US-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation
- No mention of Taiwan, instead the euphemistic "aggression in the South China Sea"
- Reverts to orthodox formula of "complete denuclearization of DPRK", not trying to lure Kim Jong Un to talk
- No mention at all of Japan or US-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation
- No mention of Taiwan, instead the euphemistic "aggression in the South China Sea"
- Reverts to orthodox formula of "complete denuclearization of DPRK", not trying to lure Kim Jong Un to talk
Looking forward to hearing @ewong.bsky.social explain Empire, US-China relations, and the future of American foreign policy to us tonight at the American Academy in Rome!
November 25, 2024 at 9:40 AM
Looking forward to hearing @ewong.bsky.social explain Empire, US-China relations, and the future of American foreign policy to us tonight at the American Academy in Rome!