Diplomatic-Pragmatic Korea and Northeast Asia
The de-escalation in tensions between Japan and South Korea in 2020 has renewed focus on economic cooperation. Despite the issue of travel restrictions has been denied by the government and bilateral economic initiatives have been pushed forward or expanded.
Brown (2013) was the first researcher to study pragmatic resistance among L2 Korean learners. His research showed that a variety of factors such as the identity of the person and their beliefs, can influence a student's pragmatic decisions.
The role played by pragmatism is South Korea's foreign policies
In a time of flux and change, South Korea's foreign policies must be clear and bold. It must be prepared to defend its values and work towards achieving global public good, such as climate changes sustainable development, sustainable development, and maritime security. It should also have the capacity to expand its global influence by delivering tangible benefits. However, it must do so without compromising the stability of its own economy.
This is a challenging task. Domestic politics are the primary obstacle to South Korea's foreign policy and it is essential that the leadership of the president manage these constraints domestically in ways that promote public confidence in the direction of the country and accountability of foreign policy. It is not an easy task, as the structures that support the formulation of foreign policy are varied and complicated. This article examines the difficulties of overcoming these domestic constraints to project a cohesive foreign policy.
South Korea will likely benefit from the current government's emphasis on pragmatic cooperation with allies and partners that have the same values. This approach can help counter the progressive attacks on GPS' values-based basis and allow Seoul in order to engage with non-democratic nations. It will also improve the relationship with the United States which remains an important partner in the development of the liberal democratic world order.
Seoul's complicated relationship with China which is the country's largest trading partner - is yet another problem. The Yoon administration has made significant progress in the development of multilateral security structures, such as the Quad. However, it must balance this commitment with its need to maintain economic ties with Beijing.
Younger voters seem to be less attached to this view. This new generation is also more diverse, and its outlook and values are changing. This is reflected by the recent growth of Kpop, as well as the growing global appeal of its culture exports. It's too early to tell if these factors will shape the future of South Korea's foreign policy. It is worth keeping an eye on them.
South Korea's diplomatic-pragmatic approach towards North Korea
South Korea must strike a delicate balance to protect itself from rogue states and to avoid being entangled in power struggles with its big neighbors. It must also consider the trade-offs that exist between values and interests particularly when it comes down to helping non-democratic countries and engaging with human rights activists. In this regard the Yoon administration's pragmatic and diplomatic approach to North Korea is a significant contrast to previous governments.
As one of the most active pivotal nations in the world, South Korea needs to engage in multilateral engagements to position its self within global and regional security networks. In the first two years of its office, the Yoon administration has actively strengthened bilateral ties with democratic allies and stepped up participation in multilateral and minilateral forums. These initiatives include the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit and the Second Asia-Pacific Summit for Democracy.
These initiatives may seem like tiny steps, but they have enabled Seoul to make use of new partnerships to promote its position on regional and global issues. For instance, the 2023 Summit for Democracy emphasized the importance of reforms and practice in democracy to tackle issues like corruption, digital transformation and transparency. The summit also announced the implementation of $100 million worth of development cooperation projects to promote democratic governance, including e-governance as well as anti-corruption initiatives.
In addition the Yoon government has actively engaged with other countries and organizations with similar values and goals to help support its vision of a global security network. These organizations and countries include the United States, Japan, China as well as the European Union, ASEAN members, and Pacific Island nations. Progressives have been criticized by some for these activities for being lacking in values and pragmatism, but they are able to help South Korea develop a more robust toolkit to deal with rogue countries such as North Korea.
The emphasis placed on values by GPS, however, could put Seoul in a precarious position if it is forced to choose between values and interests. The government's concern for human rights and its refusal to deport North Koreans accused of crimes could cause to it, for example, to prioritize policies that are undemocratic in Korea. This is especially true if the government faces a situation similar to the one of Kwon Pong, who was a Chinese advocate who sought asylum in South Korea.
South Korea's trilateral collaboration with Japan. Japan
In the face of global uncertainty and a volatile global economy, trilateral cooperation between South Korea and Japan is a bright spot in Northeast Asia. While the three countries share a security interest in the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, they also have a strong economic interest in developing safe and secure supply chains and expanding trade opportunities. The return of their top-level annual meeting is a clear indication that the three neighbors want to push for greater economic integration and cooperation.
However, the future of their partnership will be tested by a number of factors. The most pressing issue 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 that they will work together to solve the issues and establish an integrated system for preventing and punishing human rights violations.
Another important challenge is how to find a balance between the competing interests in East Asia, especially when it comes to ensuring international stability and addressing China's growing influence in the region. In the past the trilateral security cooperation often been hampered by disputes over historical and territorial issues. These disputes continue to exist despite recent signs of a more pragmatic stabilization.
The summit was briefly tainted by, for instance, North Korea's announcement to launch a satellite at the summit, as well as Japan's decision, opposed by Beijing to extend its military exercises with South Korea and the U.S.
The current circumstances offer a window of opportunity to revitalize the trilateral relationship, but it will require the initiative and cooperation of President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida to bring it to fruition. If they don't, the current era trilateral cooperation could only be a temporary respite in a rocky future. In the long term in the event that the current pattern continues, the three countries will find themselves at odds with respect to their respective security interests. In this case the only way that the trilateral relationship can endure is if each nation overcomes its own barriers to prosper and peace.
view site… with China China
The Ninth China-Japan-Korea Trilateral Summit wrapped up this week, with the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China signing a number of important and tangible outcomes. These include a Joint Declaration of the Summit and a Statement on Future Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response as well as a Joint Vision on Trilateral Intellectual Property Cooperation. These documents are significant for their lofty goals that, in some cases run counter to the collaboration between Tokyo and Seoul with the United States.
The goal is to create an environment of multilateral cooperation to the benefit of all three countries. It could include projects to create low-carbon transformations, develop innovative technologies for the aging population and strengthen collaboration in responding to global challenges such as climate change, epidemics, as well as food security. It will also be focusing on enhancing exchanges between people and establishing a 3-way innovation cooperation center.
These efforts will also contribute to improving stability in the region. It is crucial that South Korea maintains a positive partnership with both China and Japan particularly when confronted by 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 cause instability in the other, and negatively impact trilateral cooperation with both.
It is crucial however that the Korean government makes an explicit distinction between trilateral engagement and bilateral engagement with any of these countries. A clear distinction will minimize the negative impact a strained relationship between China and Japan can have on trilateral relations.
China is largely seeking to build support among Seoul and Tokyo against possible protectionist policies under the upcoming U.S. administration. This is reflected in China's emphasis on economic cooperation. Furthermore, Beijing is likely hoping to stop security cooperation with the United States from undermining the importance of its trilateral military and economic ties with these East Asian allies. Thus, this is a strategic step to combat the growing threat of U.S. protectionism and establish an opportunity to combat it with other powers.