South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy neglects the ‘Indo’ part to its detriment



Analysis South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy neglects the ‘Indo’ part to its detriment Seoul largely views South Asia through an economic lens, overlooking other areas for cooperation with New Delhi Abhishek SharmaJanuary 24, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Foreign Minister Park Jin holds a conference explaining the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, Dec. 28, 2022 \| Image: ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs South Korea released its Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) on Dec. 28, 2022, adding its name to a long list of countries expressing their interests in the Indo-Pacific region. To its credit, the IPS recognizes the region’s challenges, such as rising uncertainties in the security environment, geopolitical competition and the arms race. However, the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is arguably a misnomer, as it largely neglects the “Indo” part relating to the strategic role of the Indian Ocean and India in favor of focusing on the Pacific Ocean. This oversight is not mere semantics: By neglecting India in its strategy, Seoul risks © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump 02Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls 03North Korean POW dispute tests Seoul-Kyiv trust and future Ukraine policy 04South Korea’s CPTPP push exposes the cost of turning trade gains into consensus 05AI storage boom gives South Korea battery makers an EV overcapacity lifeline 06South Korea’s Mexico strategy runs into the hard limits of USMCA politics 07Preschool test ban forces South Korea’s English hagwons to rethink placement 08Lee Jae Myung’s Wall Street pitch tests South Korea’s capital market credibility

Analysis

South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy neglects the ‘Indo’ part to its detriment

Seoul largely views South Asia through an economic lens, overlooking other areas for cooperation with New Delhi

Abhishek SharmaJanuary 24, 2023

South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy neglects the ‘Indo’ part to its detriment

Foreign Minister Park Jin holds a conference explaining the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, Dec. 28, 2022 | Image: ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs

South Korea released its Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) on Dec. 28, 2022, adding its name to a long list of countries expressing their interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

To its credit, the IPS recognizes the region’s challenges, such as rising uncertainties in the security environment, geopolitical competition and the arms race. However, the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is arguably a misnomer, as it largely neglects the “Indo” part relating to the strategic role of the Indian Ocean and India in favor of focusing on the Pacific Ocean.

This oversight is not mere semantics: By neglecting India in its strategy, Seoul risks

South Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy neglects the ‘Indo’ part to its detriment

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Abhishek Sharma