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This paper is to consider current pressing issues in setting up New North East Asia Culture concept. Today, conflicts among countries in North East Asia are too intense to establish New North East Asia Culture involving China, Japan, Korea and Russia. As they have a different view toward each territory, their position on such issues as missile defense and North Korea’s nuclear problem also varies, which may seriously hampers New North East Asia Culture. Therefore, the countries in North East Asia need to respond to U.S. missile defense system and North Korea nuclear problem in a long-term and forward-looking manner. And, as we can see in the relationship between China and Russia, what it appears in North East Asian countries’ friendship is different what lies within. And I started my research to find out whether it ’s possible to include Russia into New North East Asia Culture. But, in the end, I cannot help but doubt whether Korea can be included in New North East Asia Culture, when it’s created. In terms of New North East Asia Culture, it will be obvious to Russia that the Far Est should be the geographic center. As for future prospects of its exchange with Korea, it’s very promising, for example establishing peace in North East Asia, reunifying North & South Koreas, securing resources in the Far Est, setting up logistics linkage to Europe, etc. But, among four main parties of New North East Asia Culture, only Russia, Japan and China except for Korea are very active in cooperation in culture, economy and politics at both public and private levels. Therefore, if Russia’s interest in Korea is far less than China and Japan, then it’s quite doubtful of Korea’s future role and position in this new North East Asia region. In addition, it’s very problematic that Korea is not duly considered in North Korea’s nuclear issue and military force competition. If Korea has just marginal influence over not only cultural, economic and political areas but also diplomatic and military areas which usually draws immediate response, then Korea will be simply dragged by other countries in New North East Asia. That’s why Korea needs to make a wise and practical decision, as it is sandwiched between Japan and the U.S. in the maritime field and between China and Russia in the land area. In addition, to solve the facing challenges, Korea should work hard and come up with policy to strengthen its exchange relationship with Russia, which is far lacking.

This article aims to compare some traits of civic culture among four northeast Asian countries, Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan, from the viewpoint of social capital theory and by means of analysis of 2010-2014 wave World Values Survey data. Defined as way of life of a society, the civic culture of the four countries is compared according to its traits of citizen participation, trust and generalized reciprocity, three components of social capital. Results of data analysis show that comparatively among the four countries China has outstanding civic culture of trust, Taiwan that of citizen participation, Japan that of generalized reciprocity, while Korea having no outstanding one with lower state of trust and generalized reciprocity.

This paper aims to understand the concept of green growth, particularly with an extraordinary concerns on the green growth strategy undertaken by the Lee Myoung-Bak administration. It also deals with the various types of conceptualization for the term of ‘green growth.’ It also tries to find the way of ‘green growth’ finally becoming the most popular concept for environmental protection during the Lee Myoung-Bak administration. In addition, it will try to explain the current status of green growth strategy.