SSU Forum/Tobunken Seminar “The Great Power Next Door: The Past and Present of Chinese Military Intervention in the Korean Peninsula”

  • Date：
    Thu, Jan 22, 2026
  • Time：
    13:00-15:00
  • Location：
    (Online) Zoom Webinar
    (In person) Main Conference Room, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, UTokyo
    MAP for the venue in person
  • Hosts：

    *Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo
    *Security Studies Unit, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo

  • Language：

    English

  • Registration：

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    【Online】 Registration Form
    【In person】 Registration Form

    *Zoom link will be delivered the day before the event.

    *This event was organized by JSPS Project “The Historical Process of Development of the East Asian International Order: The Connection of Non-Western International Relations Theory and Area Studies”.

    *The Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) and Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia collect personal information in order to provide you with the event URL and information about our current and future activities.  Your personal information will not be disclosed to any third party.

Abstract

In the history of world politics, great powers have often deployed military forces across borders to influence outcomes in countries on their periphery. Our speaker, Dr. Ji-Young Lee, will discuss her upcoming book, The Great Power Next Door (Columbia University Press), which examines the history of China’s military interventions in Korea and demonstrates that an enduring geopolitical logic has shaped its security choices vis-à-vis Korea. Drawing on recurring historical patterns to inform contemporary policy, the project sheds light on China’s policy toward the two Koreas, particularly its stance toward the US–South Korea alliance, its view of Korean unification, and its vision for the regional order in Northeast Asia.

Panelist

Speaker: Dr. Ji-Young Lee, Associate Professor, American University
Discussant 1: Naosuke Mukoyama, Associate Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo
Discussant 2: Antoine Roth, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Law, Tohoku University
Moderator: Ryo Sahashi, Professor, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo

Panelists Short Bio