Through its publications, INSS aims to provide expert insights, cutting-edge research, and innovative solutions that contribute to shaping the national security discourse and preparing the next generation of leaders in the field.
March 31, 2026
South Korea Doesn’t Fully Control Its Own Military. Can Lee Jae-myung Finally Change That?
Dr. Clint Work was interviewed by The Diplomat about his seven-part "Variables of OPCON" article series.
March 18, 2026
Iranian Kurds Can Fight, but How Effectively?
As Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion dismantle the Iranian regime’s nuclear and military infrastructure, Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have expressed their willingness to join the fight—even though U.S. objectives are not premised on supporting or arming a local force.
Feb. 11, 2026
Beyond the Peninsula: What OPCON Transfer Means for the Indo-Pacific
On the surface, wartime OPCON transition can appear a niche topic, marked by a change in the leadership of the South Korea-U.S. alliance’s combined military command structure.
Jan. 22, 2026
The Arctic is a Strategic Distraction
Over the past five years, numerous articles have called for increased U.S. defense resources focused on the Arctic. This is a strategic mistake, a distraction.
Dec. 22, 2025
What Would OPCON Transfer Mean for the UN Command in Korea?
Considered by some as an artifact of the Cold War, the United Nations Command (UNC) continues to serve several critical roles, from maintaining the armistice agreement to coordinating multinational support for the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
Dec. 3, 2025
Strategic Ambiguity: Erdoğan’s Turkey in a Multipolar World
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland and Sweden made the historic decision to seek membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Dec. 2, 2025
Can Seoul Take the Lead & The Alliance Expand Its Aperture?
South Korea taking a lead role in conventional deterrence of North Korea, appears linked with enabling the U.S. conventional posture and the alliance's combined posture on the peninsula to better handle multiple threats to the alliance on, around, and beyond it.
The Variables of OPCON: What "Conditions"?
Language around wartime operational control (OPCON) transition has evolved over the last decade, revealing important patterns and subtle (or not so subtle) shifts in position and policy.
Nov. 17, 2025
Keeping Turkey in the fold
Turkey has become one of the most active middle powers navigating the erosion of the post-Cold War order.
Sept. 9, 2025
ROK-U.S. Alliance: The Near Future—A Dialogue with Dr. Clint Work
Dr. Clint Work joined the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) Dialogue podcast.