Jeffrey Robertson

Jeffrey Robertson previously worked for the Australian Government in the fields of foreign policy and diplomacy with a focus on East Asia. He now writes from the other side of the line - as an academic, consultant, and sometimes spy fiction ghostwriter. He writes and updates research at https://junotane.com.

Jeffrey Robertson's recent articles

Middle power moves: South Korea and the future of global governance

Middle power moves: South Korea and the future of global governance

Is South Korea eyeing a new global order? A quiet debate is emerging over Seoul's potential alignment with a rising alternative to Western governance.

Seoul’s submarine ambitions – what do they mean for the region?

Seoul’s submarine ambitions – what do they mean for the region?

South Korea is currently in final negotiations with the US on a deal that could reshape the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific: the construction of nuclear-powered submarines.

Zombie multilateralism: The undead world of APEC

Zombie multilateralism: The undead world of APEC

After 20 years, APEC returned to Korea, but it feels different.

South Korea, Canada and a middle-power submarine: Can Australia join?

South Korea, Canada and a middle-power submarine: Can Australia join?

Sometimes, middle-power enthusiasts get overly excited about the potential for said states to work together. It’s almost as if you want to see those “little guys” grab the ball and run it all the way to the try line — or the end zone, for you Americans.

A circus and a summit: Trump and Xi visit Lee

A circus and a summit: Trump and Xi visit Lee

It’s now in all the media. Lee Jae-myung will meet Donald Trump and Xi Jinping next week.

APEC: The curdled yoghurt of middle-power diplomacy

APEC: The curdled yoghurt of middle-power diplomacy

When APEC was born in 1989, it was more than another acronym. It was a moment of triumph for middle powers — Australia, Canada, South Korea, and others — asserting that the post-Cold War world could be shaped not just by the great powers but by those who knew how to manage co-operation.

South Korea has missed the alternative media train

South Korea has missed the alternative media train

US alternative media is awash with stories on Israel and Gaza, Ukraine and Russia, and now Iran and Venezuela.

South Korea's caution on US Iran aims

South Korea's caution on US Iran aims

Just last month in New York, South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister.

South Korea’s anti-China protests

South Korea’s anti-China protests

This week, South Korean authorities expressed concern regarding the potential impact of anti-China protests during APEC.