Volume 6

South Korea Reins In Its Powerful Prosecutors

South Korea is carrying out one of the most far-reaching reforms of its modern legal history. It is abolishing the powerful 78-year-old Prosecutors’ Office and separating the roles of investigator and prosecutor in an effort to curb abuses and restore public trust. Jaewoong Yoon analyzes why the shakeup is deemed necessary, why it has been so long in coming, and the challenges ahead.    

Doubling Down on Rules-Based Trade

The US retreat from its longstanding role as a champion of free trade has created new vulnerabilities for its longtime partners. But for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN, there may be silver linings. Tan Hsien-Li writes that ASEAN is doubling down on its commitment to a rules-based international order, pursuing new trade agreements and taking steps to fulfill its vision of a resilient single market and production base.