Diplomatic-Pragmatic Korea and Northeast Asia
The de-escalation of tensions among Japan and South Korea in 2020 has brought the focus back to economic cooperation. Despite the issue of travel restrictions has been rebuffed by the government and bilateral economic initiatives have been pushed forward or gotten more extensive.
프라그마틱 슬롯 조작 (2013) was the first researcher to study pragmatic resistance among L2 Korean learners. His research showed that a number of factors, such as identity and personal beliefs can influence a student's logical choices.
The role of pragmatism is South Korea's foreign policy
In the midst of flux and change, South Korea's Foreign Policy has to be bold and clear. It should be able to take a stand on the principle of equality and work towards achieving 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. However, it must be able to do this without jeopardizing the stability of its domestic economy.
This is a daunting task. South Korea's foreign policy is affected by domestic politics. It is crucial that the leadership of the country is able to manage these internal constraints to increase confidence in the direction and accountability of foreign policy. This isn't an easy task since the underlying structures that guide foreign policy are a complex and varied. This article examines the difficulties of managing these domestic constraints to project a cohesive foreign policy.
The current government's emphasis on pragmatic cooperation with like-minded allies and partners will likely be a positive development for South Korea. This can help to counter the progressive attacks on GPS on a values-based basis and allow Seoul to interact with non-democratic countries. It can 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 another problem. The Yoon administration has made significant progress in the development of multilateral security structures like the Quad. However, it must balance this commitment with its need to maintain its economic relations with Beijing.
Younger voters seem to be less influenced by this view. This new generation is also more diverse, and its outlook and values are changing. This is evident by the recent growth of Kpop and the increasing global appeal of its culture exports. It's too early to determine whether these trends will affect the future of South Korea's foreign policy. However they are something worth watching closely.
South Korea's pragmatic and diplomatic approach to North Korea
South Korea faces a delicate balance between the need to combat threats from rogue states and the desire to stay out of being drawn into power games with its major neighbors. It also needs to think about the trade-offs that exist between values and interests particularly when it comes to supporting nondemocratic countries and engaging with human rights defenders. In this regard, the Yoon administration's diplomatic-pragmatic attitude towards North Korea is a significant change from previous administrations.
As one of the world's most active pivotal states, South Korea must strive for multilateral engagement as a way to position itself within a global and regional security network. In its first two years, the Yoon Administration has actively bolstered bilateral ties and increased participation in minilaterals and multilateral forums. These initiatives include the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit and the Second Asia-Pacific Summit for Democracy.
These actions may appear to be small steps, but they have helped Seoul to make use of new partnerships to promote its position on global and regional issues. The 2023 Summit for Democracy, for instance, stressed the importance and necessity of reforming democracy and practice to address challenges such as digital transformation, corruption, and transparency. The summit also announced the implementation of $100 million worth of development cooperation initiatives for democracy, including e-governance and anti-corruption efforts.
Additionally the Yoon government has been actively engaging with countries and organizations that have similar values and goals to help support its vision of an international security network. These countries and organizations include the United States, Japan, China and the European Union, ASEAN members, and Pacific Island nations. Progressives may have criticized these activities for being lacking in values and pragmatism, however they are able to help South Korea develop a more robust toolkit to deal with countries that are rogue, such as North Korea.
However, GPS' emphasis on values could put Seoul in a difficult position when it comes to balancing values and interests. For instance the government's sensitivity to human rights activists and its inability to deport North Korean refugees who have been accused of criminal activities could cause it to prioritize policies that seem undemocratic at home. This is particularly true if the government has to deal with similar circumstances to Kwon Pyong, a Chinese activist who sought asylum in South Korea.
South Korea's trilateral partnership with Japan. Japan
In the midst of global uncertainty and an unstable global economy, trilateral cooperation between South Korea and Japan is an optimistic signpost in Northeast Asia. The three countries share a shared security interest regarding the threat of nuclear war from North Korea, but they also share a strong economic concern about developing 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 are keen to push for greater economic integration and co-operation.
However, the future of their alliance will be tested by a variety of factors. The question of how to tackle the issue of human rights violations committed by the Japanese or Korean militaries within their respective colonies is most pressing. The three leaders agreed they would work together to resolve the issues and establish an integrated system to prevent and punish human rights violations.
A third issue is to find a compromise 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 meeting was briefly overshadowed, for example, by North Korea's announcement to launch a satellite during the summit and by Japan's decision, which was received with protests from Beijing to extend its military exercises with South Korea and the U.S.
It is possible to bring back the trilateral relationship in the current situation, but it requires the initiative and reciprocity from President Yoon and Premier Kishida. If they fail to do so, the current era of trilateral cooperation could be a brief respite from an otherwise rocky future. If the current trajectory continues over the long term the three countries could be at odds with each other over their shared security interests. In this scenario the only way for the trilateral partnership to last is if each of the countries is able to overcome its own domestic obstacles to peace and prosperity.
South Korea's trilateral partnership with China
The Ninth China, Japan, and Korea Trilateral Summit concluded this week with the leaders of South Korea and Japan signing a number tangible and significant 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, run counter to Seoul and Tokyo's cooperation with the United States.
The objective is to develop a framework of multilateral cooperation to the benefit of all three countries. It could include projects to create low-carbon solutions, advance new technologies to help the aging population and improve the ability of all three countries to respond to global issues like climate change, epidemics, and food security. It will also focus on enhancing exchanges between people and establishing a 3-way innovation cooperation center.
These efforts will aid in ensuring stability in the region. South Korea must maintain a positive relationship with China and Japan. This is especially crucial when it comes to regional issues like North Korean provocations, tensions in 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 important that the Korean government promotes an explicit distinction between bilateral and trilateral collaboration with one of these countries. A clear distinction can aid in minimizing the negative impact of a tension-filled relationship with either China or Japan on trilateral relations with both.
China's primary goal is to get support from Seoul and Tokyo in opposition to possible protectionist policies by the new U.S. Administration. China's focus on economic co-operation especially through the resumption of negotiations for a China-Japan-Korea FTA and an agreement on trade in the services market, reflects this aim. Additionally, Beijing is likely hoping to prevent security cooperation with the United States from undermining the importance of its own trilateral economic and military relations with these East Asian allies. This is a smart move to counter the threat posed by U.S. protectionism and create an opportunity to combat it with other powers.