Diplomatic-Pragmatic Korea and Northeast Asia
The de-escalation of tensions among Japan and South Korea in 2020 has refocused the attention on economic cooperation. Even when the dispute over travel restrictions was rejected by bilateral economic initiatives, bilateral cooperation have continued or increased.
Brown (2013) pioneered the recording of pragmatic resistance in L2 Korean learners. His study revealed that a number of factors such as identity and personal beliefs can affect a student's practical choices.
The role played by pragmatism in South Korea's foreign policy
In a time of change and flux South Korea's foreign policies must be clear and bold. It should be ready to defend its principles and pursue global public good, such as climate changes as well as sustainable development and maritime security. It should be able to demonstrate its influence globally by providing tangible benefits. It must, however, do so without compromising the stability of its domestic economy.
This is a difficult task. South Korea's foreign policy is restricted by domestic politics. It is important that the leadership of the country can manage these internal constraints to increase confidence in the direction and accountability for foreign policy. This isn't easy since the underlying structures that guide foreign policy are complicated and diverse. This article focuses on the challenges of managing these domestic constraints to develop a cohesive foreign policy.
South Korea will likely benefit from the current administration's focus on pragmatic cooperation with allies and partners who have similar values. This can help to counter the progressive attacks on GPS on a values-based basis and create space for Seoul to interact with non-democratic countries. It could also help strengthen its relationship with the United States, which remains an essential partner in advancing the liberal democratic world order.
Another issue facing Seoul is to retool its complex relationship with China, the country's largest trading partner. The Yoon administration has made significant progress in establishing multilateral security structures, such as the Quad. However it must be mindful of its need to maintain economic connections with Beijing.
Younger voters seem to be less attached to this view. This new generation has an increasingly diverse worldview and its beliefs and worldview are evolving. This is reflected by the recent rise of Kpop, as well as the growing global appeal of its culture exports. It is still too early to tell how these factors will impact the future of South Korea's foreign policy. They are worth watching.
South Korea's diplomatic-pragmatic approach to North Korea
South Korea faces a delicate balance between the need to face threats from rogue states and the desire to avoid being drawn into power games with its large neighbors. It also has to consider the trade-offs that are made between interests and values, particularly when it comes down to helping non-democratic countries and engaging with human rights defenders. In this respect the Yoon administration's pragmatic and diplomatic approach to North Korea is a significant change from previous administrations.
As one of the most active pivotal states South Korea must strive for multilateral engagement as a means to position itself within the global and regional security network. In the first two years of office, the Yoon administration has actively strengthened bilateral ties with democratically-minded allies and stepped up participation in multilateral and minilateral forums. These initiatives include the first Korea-Pacific Islands Summit and the second Asia-Pacific Summit for Democracy.
These efforts may seem like small steps, but they have positioned Seoul to make use of its new partnerships to spread its opinions on global and regional issues. For example, the 2023 Summit for Democracy emphasized the importance of reforms and practice in democracy to address challenges such as corruption, digital transformation, and transparency. The summit also announced the launching of $100 million worth of development cooperation projects to promote democracy, such as e-governance and anti-corruption efforts.
In addition, the Yoon government has actively engaged with organizations and countries with similar values and goals to help support its vision of a global security network. These include the United States of America, Japan, China and the European Union. They also include ASEAN members as well as Pacific Island nations. These actions may be criticised by progressives for being lacking in pragmatism or values, however, they can assist South Korea build a more robust foreign policy toolkit when it comes to dealing with rogue states like North Korea.
However, GPS' emphasis on values could put Seoul in a strategic bind when faced with the dilemma of balancing values 프라그마틱 데모 and interests. For instance, the government's sensitivity to human rights activism and its refusal to deport North Korean refugees who have been accused of criminal activities may lead it to prioritize policies that appear undemocratic at home. This is especially true when the government faces a situation similar to the case of Kwon Pong, who was a Chinese advocate who sought asylum in South Korea.
South Korea's trilateral co-operation with Japan
In the face of global uncertainty and a volatile global economy, trilateral cooperation between South Korea and Japan is an opportunity to shine in Northeast Asia. The three countries share a shared security interest regarding the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, but they also share a major economic concern over establishing a secure and safe supply chains and expanding trade opportunities. The three countries' resumption in their annual summit at the highest level every year is a clear signal that they are looking to promote more economic integration and cooperation.
The future of their partnership However, their relationship will be determined by a variety of factors. The most pressing one is the issue of how to tackle the issue of human rights violations allegedly committed by the Japanese and Korean militaries in their respective colonies. The three leaders agreed to cooperate to address these issues and develop a common mechanism to prevent and punish human rights abuses.
Another challenge is to find a compromise between the competing interests of the three countries of East Asia. This is crucial when it comes to maintaining peace in the region and dealing with China's growing influence. In the past the trilateral security cooperation has often been hampered by disputes over historical and territorial issues. These disputes are still present despite recent signs of a more pragmatic stabilization.
For instance, the summit was briefly shadowed by North Korea's announcement of plans to attempt to launch satellites during the summit, and also by Japan's decision to extend its military exercises with South Korea and the U.S. The move drew protests from Beijing.
The current situation provides an chance to rejuvenate the trilateral partnership, but it will require the leadership and reciprocity of President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida to bring it to fruition. If they fail to do so and they don't, the current trilateral cooperation may only provide a temporary respite in a turbulent future. In the long run in the event that the current pattern continues the three countries will end up in conflict over their shared security interests. In this scenario, the only way for the trilateral relationship to endure is if each of the countries is able to overcome its own national obstacles to peace and prosperity.
South Korea's trilateral partnership with China
The 9th China-Japan-Korea Trilateral Summit wrapped up this week with the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China signing a number of tangible and significant outcomes. They include a Joint Declaration of the Summit as well as a statement on Future Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response and a Joint Vision on Trilateral Intellectual Property Cooperation. These documents are significant for their lofty goals that, in some instances, are contrary to the collaboration between Tokyo and Seoul with the United States.
The goal is to strengthen the framework for multilateral cooperation that will benefit all three countries. The projects will include low-carbon transformations, innovative technologies for an aging population and collective responses to global challenges such as climate changes, epidemics and food security. It will also focus on strengthening people-to -people exchanges, and establishing a three-way innovation cooperation center.
These efforts will also improve stability in the area. It is essential that South Korea maintains a positive partnership with both China and Japan particularly when confronted with regional issues, such as North Korean provocation, escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and Sino-American rivalry. A weakening relationship with one of these countries could result in instability in the other, and therefore negatively impact trilateral cooperation with both.
It is crucial to ensure that the Korean government draws a clear distinction between bilateral and trilateral engagement with any of these countries. A clear separation can help reduce the negative impact a strained relationship between China and Japan could affect trilateral relations.
China is primarily seeking to build support between Seoul and Tokyo against protectionist policies in the next U.S. administration. This is evident in China's focus on economic cooperation. Beijing also hopes to prevent the United States' security cooperation from affecting its own trilateral economic and military relations. This is a smart move to counter the growing threat posed by U.S. protectionism and create a platform to counter it with other powers.