The Paradigm Shift and the Rise of East Asia

Raid and warfare were once humankind’s most profitable activities. Conquerors such as Alexander, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Charlemagne, and Napoleon procured goods and resources for their subjects by invading other countries and taking them.
 
World War II marked the end of that paradigm. In its aftermath, warfare ceased to be profitable, as the world had become increasingly circumscribed. Today, the paradigm has shifted from warfare to commerce, or from raid to trade. Countries now compete with one another in the marketplace rather than on the battlefield. It is essential to understand the rise of East Asia under the new paradigm of trade.

Young-jin Choi was appointed by President Lee Myung-bak as the ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States in March 2012.

Since joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1972, Choi has held numerous positions as a Korean diplomat and United Nations (UN) official. He most recently served as special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Cote D’Ivoire from 2008 to 2011. His certification of the Ivorian presidential elections during his tenure and his leadership as the head of the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire are considered to have been instrumental in resolving the post-electoral crisis.

Choi obtained his master’s and doctorate degrees in international relations from the University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne), and, prior to his graduate studies, studied medicine for four years at Yonsei University. His most recent publications include East and West: Understanding the Rise of China (2010).