Diplomatic-Pragmatic Korea and Northeast Asia
The de-escalation in tensions between Japan and South Korea in 2020 has refocused the attention on economic cooperation. Even when the issue of travel restrictions was rejected by bilateral economic initiatives, bilateral cooperation have continued or increased.
Brown (2013) was the first to document pragmatic resistance among L2 Korean learners. His study found that a variety of variables, including personal identity and beliefs can influence a learner's pragmatic decisions.
The role of pragmatism lies in South Korea's foreign policy
In these times of flux and change South Korea's foreign policy must be clear and bold. It should be able to take a stand on the principle of equality and promote global public goods, such as sustainable development, climate change, and maritime security. It should also be able to project its influence globally through providing tangible benefits. It must, however, be able to do this without jeopardizing the stability of its own economy.
This is a challenging task. Domestic politics are a key obstacle to South Korea's international policy, and it is critical that the presidential leadership manages these domestic constraints in ways that boost confidence in the national direction and accountability for foreign policies. This isn't easy, as the underlying structures that support foreign policy development are complicated and diverse. This article will discuss how to handle these domestic constraints in order to establish a consistent foreign policy.
The current administration's focus on pragmatic cooperation with like-minded allies and partners is likely to be a positive thing for South Korea. This strategy can help in defending against radical attacks on GPS' values-based foundation and open the way for Seoul to interact with non-democratic nations. It could also help strengthen its relationship with the United States, which remains an essential partner in the advancement of the liberal democratic world order.
Seoul's complicated relationship with China - the country's biggest trading partner - is a further challenge. The Yoon administration has made significant progress in establishing multilateral security structures such as the Quad. However, it must weigh this effort against its need to maintain its economic connections with Beijing.
Younger voters are less influenced by this viewpoint. The younger generation has more diverse views of the world, and its beliefs and worldview are changing. This is reflected by the recent rise of Kpop and the rising global appeal of its exports of culture. It is too early to determine whether these trends will impact the future of South Korea's foreign policy. However, 프라그마틱 are worth keeping an eye on.
South Korea's diplomatic-pragmatic approach to North Korea
South Korea must strike a delicate balance in order to shield itself from rogue states while avoiding getting drawn into power struggles with its big neighbors. It must also take into account the balance between interests and values especially when it comes to assisting human rights activists and interacting with non-democratic countries. In this respect, the Yoon government's diplomatic-pragmatic approach to North Korea is an important contrast to previous governments.
As one of the world's most active pivotal states, South Korea must strive for multilateral engagement as a means of positioning itself within a regional and global security network. In the first two years of its office the Yoon administration has actively strengthened relations with democratic allies and increased participation in multilateral and minilateral forums. These initiatives include the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit and the Second Asia-Pacific Summit for Democracy.
These efforts may seem like incremental steps, but they have positioned Seoul to make use of its new partnerships to promote its views on global and regional issues. The 2023 Summit for Democracy, for instance, highlighted the importance and necessity of reforming democracy and practice to tackle issues such as digital transformation, corruption, and transparency. The summit also announced the execution of $100 million worth of development cooperation initiatives for democracy, such as e-governance and anti-corruption efforts.
Additionally, the Yoon government has been actively engaging with other countries and organizations with similar values and priorities to further support its vision of the creation of a global security network. These include the United States of America, Japan, China and the European Union. They also include ASEAN members and Pacific Island nations. Progressives might have criticized these actions as lacking values and pragmatism. However, they can help South Korea develop a more robust toolkit to deal with rogue countries such as North Korea.
However, GPS' emphasis on values could put Seoul in a strategic bind when faced with the dilemma of balancing values and interests. For instance the government's sensitivity to human rights advocacy and its inability to deport North Korean refugees who have been accused of criminal activity may lead it to prioritize policies that appear undemocratic at home. This is especially true if the government faces a situation like that of Kwon Pyong, an activist from China. Chinese activist who sought asylum in South Korea.
South Korea's trilateral collaboration with Japan. Japan
In the midst of rising global uncertainty and a shaky global economy, trilateral cooperation between South Korea, Japan, and China is a bright spot for Northeast Asia. The three countries share a shared security interest regarding the nuclear threat from North Korea, but they also share a major economic interest in establishing a secure and safe supply chains and expanding trade opportunities. The return of their highest-level annual meeting is a clear indication that the three neighbors would like to encourage greater co-operation and economic integration.
The future of their partnership However, their relationship will be tested by several factors. The most pressing one is the question of how they can address the issue of human rights violations committed by the Japanese and Korean militaries in their respective colonies. The three leaders agreed to work together to resolve these issues, and to develop a common procedure for preventing and reprimanding human rights abuses.
A third challenge is to find a balance between the competing interests of three countries of East Asia. This is particularly important when it comes to maintaining peace in the region and addressing China’s growing influence. In the past, trilateral security cooperation was often hindered by disputes relating to territorial and historical issues. These disputes are still present despite recent signs of a pragmatic stabilization.
The summit was briefly tainted by, for example, North Korea's announcement to launch a satellite during the summit and by Japan's decision that was met with protests by Beijing to extend its military exercises with South Korea and the U.S.
It is possible to revive the trilateral relationship in the current situation however, it will require initiative and reciprocity from President Yoon and Premier Kishida. If they fail to act accordingly and the current era of trilateral cooperation may only be only a brief respite from an otherwise rocky future. In the long term, if the current trajectory continues the three countries will be in conflict over their shared security interests. In this case, the only way the trilateral relationship will last is if each country can overcome its own challenges to achieve peace and prosperity.
South Korea's trilateral co-operation with China
The 9th China-Japan Korea-China Trilateral Summit wrapped up this week and saw the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China signing a variety of significant and tangible outcomes. The Summit's outcomes include a Joint Declaration of Future Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response and an agreement on Trilateral Intellectual Property Cooperation. These documents are notable for laying out lofty goals that, in some cases are in opposition to Seoul and Tokyo's cooperation with the United States.
The goal is to create an environment of multilateral cooperation that is to the benefit of all three countries. It would include projects to develop low-carbon transformations, develop innovative technologies to help the aging population, and enhance collaboration in responding to global challenges such as climate change, epidemics, and food security. It would also focus on enhancing exchanges between people and creating a trilateral innovation collaboration center.
These efforts will help to improve stability in the region. South Korea must maintain a positive relationship with China and Japan. This is particularly crucial when it comes to regional issues such as North Korean provocations, tensions in the Taiwan Strait and Sino-American rivalry. A deteriorating relationship with one of these countries could lead to instability in the other which could negatively impact trilateral collaboration with both.
It is crucial, however, that the Korean government makes a clear distinction between bilateral and trilateral engagement with any of these countries. A clear distinction will help minimize the negative impact a strained relationship between China and Japan could have on trilateral relations.
China is primarily seeking to build support between Seoul and Tokyo against protectionist policies under the upcoming U.S. administration. China's focus on economic cooperation especially through the resumption of talks for a China-Japan-Korea FTA and the joint statement regarding trade in services markets, reflects this aim. Beijing is also hoping to stop the United States' security cooperation from undermining its own trilateral economic and military relations. Therefore, this is a strategic step to counter the growing threat of U.S. protectionism and establish an avenue to counter it with other powers.