American news reports on Korea often focus on the negative student riots, trade friction, the failure of unification talks. But significant improvements have occurred, particularly in the South. Although North Korea continues to embrace Stalinism, South Korea is experiencing an economic boom and has moved toward a more open democracy. Given its strategic location, and the unsettled conditions in China, Korea could well play a pivotal role in the future of the region. In Land of the Morning Calm, the author traces the economic and political development of the peninsula, and then discusses Korea’s future role and the implications for U.S. policy.