By Benjamin J. Butler

Somewhere on the West Coast of Korea 

I am spending a night with my daughter and wife in a hotel overlooking the ocean on the west coast of Korea. Like pretty much all of the coast of South Korea, there are military installations in the vicinity, but not enough to ruin the views. Since Moon Jae-In was elected President there has again been rhetoric that suggests a possible change in relations between the two Koreas. In recent weeks Trump has hinted a willingness to one day meet Kim Jong Un, and the new South Korean President said he wants to resolve the crisis and will fly to Pyongyang in North Korea if he has to.  

By Benjamin J. Butler

Many of my friends have made 30% in just a few weeks trading crypto-currencies. I am not sure how to interpret this. I know that some people are buying them because they have lost faith in the financial system and fiat currencies, as I mentioned a few weeks ago. Others are just joining in on the speculation and the hype of the new economy and fintech. There is most certainly much demand from China where the macro environment remains tough.

By Benjamin J. Butler

Jeju Island

I took a flight down to the Korean Hawaii, Jeju Island, to meet with the founder of the Millennium Project and other insightful future thinkers. Meanwhile, the temperature on the Korean peninsula remains pretty hot. Lindsey Graham and John McCain seem excited after Trump’s briefing. That doesn't exactly instill any peace-loving citizen with confidence. It's often said that these two have not seen any war that they don't like.

By Benjamin J. Butler

Seoul, South Korea

VIX

Many people are scratching their heads about an apparent gap between events unfolding in the world and financial markets, saying that markets are being quite blasé. In the Financial Times this week:

By Benjamin J. Butler

Daegu, South Korea

I am in South Korea and there are major geopolitical events transpiring. I wrote yesterday:

A couple of years ago I started seeing more and more signals vis-a-vis North and South Korean relations. I wrote at the time that it was likely that something would happen relatively soon, and that the first steps of reunification would occur within 5-10 years, and more likely within 5.

By Benjamin J. Butler

Seoul, South Korea

I am in Seoul this week whilst the temperature of the Korean Peninsula continues to rise.

North Korea has fired a missile into the Sea of Japan, with the latest provocative act from Pyongyang coming just days before US President Donald Trump meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.