Mike Bosack

Breaking down the debate over military exercises on the Korean Peninsula | NK PRO U.S.-South Korea combined exercises are kicking off this week after some deliberation on the scale of the training by Seoul, based on the impact on potential inter-Korean engagement.  While the allies...

Exercise FREEDOM SHIELD kicked off in earnest on the Korean Peninsula today. Some argue that these exercises raise tensions. Others maintain that they are necessary tools for readiness.

I break down the debate in my latest for @nknewsorg.bsky.social ⬇️
www.nknews.org/pro/breaking...

In Iran conflict, Japan shows improved evacuation readiness Japan’s response underscores both Tokyo’s growing security role overseas and the diplomatic balancing act between Washington and Gulf states hosting Japanese nationals.

The Takaichi administration has demonstrated speed and effectiveness in the evacuation of Japanese nationals from countries affected by the U.S.-Israel-Iran War.

My latest for @japantimes.co.jp explains more⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03...

The Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations that were supposed to happen 5-6 March have been delayed due to the U.S.-Israel-Iran War.

A few days ago, I wrote about the consequences of the principal mediator being embroiled in a separate conflict with Iran⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/71043

How the White House mishandled the Iran nuclear negotiations Following the recent outbreak of hostilities with Iran, White House officials have engaged media outlets to explain the rationale behind the war. Among them was U.

Many negotiations fail because people get locked into their positions at the expense of their interests.

In the recent Iran nuclear negotiations, I identified five mistakes that practitioners should know & understand.

Read the breakdown⬇️
www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-wh...

How the White House mishandled the Iran nuclear negotiations Following the recent outbreak of hostilities with Iran, White House officials have engaged media outlets to explain the rationale behind the war. Among them was U.

The collapse of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks is a case study in negotiation failure.

Based on Steve Witkoff’s own account, 5 mistakes stand out. The lessons here matter because wars can begin--and most often end--at the negotiating table.

My analysis here⬇️
www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-wh...

Takaichi, Trump and Japan-North Korea relations North Korea has given no space for engagement on the issues most relevant to Japan — that is, the abductee issue and denuclearization.

A few weeks ago, PM Sanae Takaichi said she is willing to meet Kim Jong Un face-to-face for dialogue.

Then the 9th Party Congress happened.

So, where do things stand for Takaichi's North Korea policy now?

I answer that question via @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

Kim Jong Un’s Ninth Party Congress Personnel Shakeup The generational shift that the Ninth Party Congress signaled is noticeable: Kim’s old mentors and advisors inside the regime have stepped aside – whether willingly or not – to make room for his allie...

"Kim Jong Un’s old mentors and advisors inside the regime have stepped aside–whether willingly or not–to make room for his allies and new prospects."

Read more in my interim analysis of the 9th Party Congress via @thediplomat.com ⬇️
thediplomat.com/2026/02/kim-...

How the UN Command can help avert conflict with North Korea over drones | NK PRO When North Korea accused South Korea of flying multiple drones into its airspace last month, the episode had the potential to escalate into a broader confrontation.  The Lee Jae Myung administration m...

During six years at UNCMAC, I investigated numerous security incidents on the Korean Peninsula that could have escalated.

These armistice investigations are little-understood tools of crisis management & peacebuilding.

I break it down via @nknewsorg.bsky.social ⬇️
www.nknews.org/pro/how-the-...

The Geneva round of peace negotiations demonstrated that the Kremlin is clinging to its maximalist negotiating strategy.

Here's how to counter it⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/post/70376

Japan’s push for long-range weapons draws interest from foreign firms There is a growing need for a long-range weapon that can be used flexibly as Tokyo looks to boost its overall counterattack capabilities.

"...the answer will not always be in procurement of new weapon systems, but rather in looking for ways to repurpose what’s already in its inventory."

Quoted in the @japantimes.co.jp on how the GSDF will pursue requirements in the next Defense Buildup Program⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02...

North Korean state media reported that 9th Party Congress proceedings are underway. Delegates quietly arrived on 16 February, and the Workers’ Party of Korea held a credentialing ceremony and visit to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on 17 February.

More below⬇️

The trouble with winning big for Takaichi and the LDP Landslide victories in Japanese politics can conceal fragility within the ruling party.

Sanae Takaichi’s historic Lower House win delivered both a public mandate and the institutional power to pursue her agenda. But winning big brings its own sets of challenges.

I explain more via the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

Before the next round of Russia-Ukraine-U.S. negotiations begin in Geneva, here is my recap of how things played out in Abu Dhabi (via the @kyivpost.com) ⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/69652

Why North Korea Is Unlikely to Renew Cooperation at Kaesong The Lee administration may be hoping to resume cooperation at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. But Pyongyang is just not interested.

10 years since Kaesong Industrial Complex shut down.

Seoul wants it reopened.
Pyongyang doesn’t.

The reasons go far beyond sanctions, and they point to the structural shift in inter-Korean relations.

Here’s why (via @thediplomat.com) ⬇️
thediplomat.com/2026/02/why-...

Want to make sense of the Kim Yo Jong-attributed statement that North Korean state media published this morning?

Here's my analysis ⬇️

While many looked at the second round of Russia-Ukraine-US peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi as sign of positive progress, it highlighted four significant problems in the White House's mediation efforts.

I explain in my latest for the @kyivpost.com ⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/69652

What Will Happen to North Korean POWs in Ukraine? The South Korean government has repeatedly conveyed its willingness to accept the soldiers as its citizens after the war.

What will happen to North Korean POWs in Ukraine?

This is an important question to answer when considering the Russia-Ukraine War, inter-Korean relations, and precedent for repatriations.

Here's my analysis of their likely fate (via The Diplomat ⬇️ )
thediplomat.com/2026/02/what...

The art of the purge: How North Korea keeps its elites in line | NK PRO With the all-important Ninth Party Congress on the horizon, a reckoning may be coming for some of the top officials in Kim Jong Un’s regime. North Korean politics has long been synonymous with purges,...

How does the North Korean regime use purges in its system of governance?

The answer is here in my latest for @nknewsorg.bsky.social ⬇️
www.nknews.org/pro/the-art-...

Five key takeaways from Takaichi’s landslide victory The LDP secured a supermajority on its own, giving Takaichi the golden opportunity to implement her policy agenda.

Wondering what to make of Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory in yesterday's Lower House vote?

Here's my answer via @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

A cheat sheet to Takaichi’s snap election Parties with traditional vote-generating architectures in place before Japan's snap election have a significant advantage.

It's election day in Japan 🗳

If you want to catch up on what's going on with the snap election, check out my scene setter via @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

End of U.S.-Russia nuclear pact raises fears of unchecked arms race The shift is also expected to impact Japan and a debate over revising its three nonnuclear principles.

"The treaty’s lapse removes taboos from certain policy debates, including those surrounding Japan’s three non-nuclear principles."

My comments on the expiration of New START in the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02...

A cheat sheet to Takaichi’s snap election Parties with traditional vote-generating architectures in place before Japan's snap election have a significant advantage.

Want to know what to make of Japan's forthcoming snap election?

Here's my scene setter via @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

What to expect if Seoul revives the moribund military pact with North Korea | NK PRO Two years after its functional demise, the inter-Korean military pact that aimed to reduce border tensions could soon return to life, if only in part. In response to North Korea’s latest allegations o...

What does it mean if the Lee Jae Myung administration tries to reimplement the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement (also known as the "Comprehensive Military Agreement")?

Having lived through the rise & fall of the CMA, I offer insight via @nknewsorg.bsky.social ⬇️
www.nknews.org/pro/what-to-...

Japan’s new ‘Centrist Reform Alliance’ is a misnomer The Centrist Reform Alliance is asking voters to embrace a brand label rather than a fully formed policy platform and a partnership of convenience.

Japan's forthcoming election is shaping up to be a battle between the ruling LDP-Nippon Ishin no Kai coalition and the newly formed "Centrist Reform Alliance."

What is the Centrist Reform Alliance? I answer that question here⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...

The Elementary Rules of Leadership As an academic, military officer, and civilian, Michael Bosack has led and worked with groups from all over the world. Through his experiences across the globe, he discovered fundamental rules of lea...

"As a leader, your organization will reflect your work ethic, your behavior, and your values whether you like it or not."

When I gave this TED Talk nearly eight years ago, I hoped that my points would still resonate years later.

I think they do.
www.ted.com/talks/michae...

This morning, North Korean state media provided insights into the mechanics behind preparations for the 9th Party Congress. This not only gives insight into the timing of this event, but helps us understand how and why the DPRK operates the way it does.

My brief analysis here⬇️

Whether the White House intends it or not, the gambit for Greenland will influence the Kremlin's negotiating strategy for Ukraine.

What kind of influence will it have?

I explain in my latest for the @kyivpost.com ⬇️
www.kyivpost.com/opinion/68346

The only *durable* way to counter gray-zone activities & violations of int'l laws, rules and norms is to identify illicit activities & respond in ways that are compliant with int'l standards.

Emphasis on "durable."

My comments via @IPDefenseForum⬇️
ipdefenseforum.com/2026/01/japa...

My analysis of the second Kim Yo Jong-attributed statement related to North Korea's drone allegations against the South⬇️

Why Takaichi would call a snap election Takaichi may dissolving the Lower House of the parliament upon its mandatory convocation later this month, which would prompt a general election sometime in February.

The whispers about Sanae Takaichi dissolving the Lower House are now discussions between the prime minister and ruling party executives.

But why would Takaichi call a snap election now?

I answer that question via the @japantimes.co.jp ⬇️
www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2...