ADRN

Lecture 4

East Asia Institute (EAI) and Korea Foundation co-hosted on the KF-EAI Korea Friendship event, a series of educational and networking program, for international students residing in South Korea. There are 7 consecutive lectures on Korea and 1 field trip on Korean history.

Professor Sohn Lee, a professor at Yonsei University GSIS, gave a lecture on the international affairs and foreign policy strategies of South Korea. His lecture is entitled “Challenge of Northeast Asia International Situation and Korean Diplomacy”. National power is the culmination of military, economic and soft power. While South Korea is ranked 11th in global GDP, 10th in military expenditure, and widely recognized for its Korean wave, its diplomatic influence in Northeast Asia is constrained because of its geopolitical position between big powers.

Northeast Asia is currently experiencing lasting security tension. The lecturer explained that South Korea’s foreign affairs dilemma stemmed mainly from China’s rapid growth and the Sino-US tense relations through examples on how it was problematic for South Korea to join either TPP or AIIB. The US-Sino conflict is especially visible in the North Korean problem. South Korea’s diplomatic space to maneuver has shrunk because of the strengthened ROK-US alliance and China’s insistence on engaging North Korea through persuasion and negotiation instead of sanctions.

Therefore, as a middle power country, South Korea’s long-term national interests should be based on diplomatic strategies on ensuring peaceful coexistence in the region. The lecturer emphasized on the ability to maneuver around the logic of great power politics and form a network of middle powers. In addition to economic and security issues, we need to have a mindset that thinks beyond our national identities.

During the Q&A session, the lecturer and participants discussed issues about the installation of THAAD, the North Korean nuclear issue and unresolved security issues, and the Korean Wave.