Promoting Rule of Law and Human Rights in Asia
The U.S.-Asia Law Institute serves as a bridge between Asia and America, fostering mutual understanding on legal issues and using constructive engagement to advocate for legal progress.
New and Notable
Publications
The deepening polarization in South Korean politics triggered a constitutional crisis last December when President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law out of frustration with the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Eungi Hong writes that when the South Korean Constitutional Court upheld President Yoon’s impeachment, it sought to bridge the deep political divides and remind all citizens in clear, accessible language what it means to have a democracy. She also provides an unofficial English translation of the full court decision.
One of the most complicated topics in contemporary international relations is the status of the self-governing island of Taiwan and its government in Taipei, formally called the government of the Republic of China. In this May 6, 2025 talk, Bing Ling, a professor at the University of Sydney Law School, explains the legal basis for China’s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan; what actions might invoke use of the PRC’s Anti-Secession Law, either to use force against Taiwan or simply bring criminal charges against Taiwanese who oppose unification; and the urgent need for the governments in Beijing and Taipei to resume talks.
One of the most complicated topics in contemporary international relations is the status of the self-governing island of Taiwan and its government in Taipei, formally called the government of the Republic of China. In this Feb. 13, 2025 talk, Jacques deLisle, a professor of law and political science at the University of Pennsylvania, unpacks the debate over the 1971 United Nations General Assembly vote that took the “China seat” at the UN away from the ROC government on Taiwan and gave it to the government of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. He says the UN General Assembly did not and could not decide whether Taiwan is a state or merely part of the PRC.
Institute News
June 22, 2025-June 28, 2025
China’s legislature approves increased detention of juvenile offenders and other revisions to a controversial administrative punishments law; Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee warns of “soft resistance” to the government and says that criticism of the government is acceptable only if it does not aim to undermine national security; Japan executes a man who killed nine persons who were seeking assisted suicide; South Korean prosecutors grill former President Yoon Suk-yeol for fifteen hours over alleged actions to obstruct justice following his aborted attempt to impose martial law; Taiwan’s legislature amends the Civil Service Protection Act to increase penalties for harassment or abuse of power.
June 15, 2025-June 21, 2025
China’s Supreme People’s Court issues typical cases dealing with online commerce and AI voice generation; Meta sues a Hong Kong company to block it from advertising an app that generates fake nude images of people; a Japanese court orders the government to compensate two asylum seekers for repeatedly detaining them without concern for their physical and mental health; South Korea implements a law criminalizing “post-crash drinking” as a strategy to interfere with blood alcohol tests; Taiwan’s opposition parties seek to abolish the Control Yuan and give its powers to the legislature.
Bruce Aronson, senior advisor at USALI’s Japan Center and an adjunct professor at NYU Law, was quoted by the Washington Post as saying that he is uncertain about the long-term impact of Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel.
June 8, 2025-June 14, 2025
Senior Chinese and US negotiators agree on a framework to get their trade negotiations back on track following a series of disputes; Hong Kong and Chinese national security police carry out their first known joint operation; Japan’s political parties fail to agree on new rules for political donations, with the scandal-ridden Liberal Democrats favoring a less restrictive approach; US President Donald Trump signs an executive order paving the way for a Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel; two South Korean courts postpone indefinitely criminal trials of newly elected President Lee Jae-myung; prosecutors in Taiwan indict four former members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party on charges of spying for China.
The U.S.-Asia Law Institute is seeking a research scholar! USALI research scholars advance the institute’s mission by informing the law school community and wider audiences about important legal developments in East Asia. They also support East Asian legal scholars and practitioners who visit or partner with USALI. Click through for details and how to apply.
Program on International Law & Relations in Asia
Program on International Law & Relations in Asia
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