Northeast Asia’s security landscape is unstable and volatile, due to regional arms race, reformation of US-ROK alliance, North Korean nuclear crisis, precarious inter-Korean relations, and many other factors. The security policymaking environment is also under a major transition as the security threats we face now are no longer limited to traditional military threats. The field of security policy now extends to the emerging factors including terrorism, North Korean defectors, industrial espionage, cyber warfare, environment, economy, and so forth.

The extension of security concept leads to the expansion of stakeholders in the field. Civil sector is increasing its engagement in the public policymaking process, and policy-related information is open to the society more than ever. These changes mean that the governments no longer retain the monopoly over the policymaking process in the field of security.

Now governments’ policymaking requires civil sector’s oversight and cooperation. Civil sector’s research capability has went through dramatic improvements, and the public demands increased transparency and objectivity in policymaking.

Security Management Institute was founded to devote itself to this mission. Security and defense policymaking is calling for a comprehensive and objective overview from the civil sector. Security Management Institute will answer this call by providing policy studies encompassing military, policy, economic, and social factors related to security and defense.