{"id":2196464,"date":"2022-06-01T18:48:21","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T09:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/pro\/?p=2196464"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:12:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:12:19","slug":"why-supporting-taiwan-remains-a-bridge-too-far-for-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/06\/why-supporting-taiwan-remains-a-bridge-too-far-for-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"Why supporting Taiwan remains a bridge too far for South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"
From Beijing\u2019s point of view, U.S. President Joe Biden\u2019s recent<\/span> visit<\/span><\/a> to South Korea was concerning. For one, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol committed his country to<\/span> joining the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, despite China\u2019s<\/span> deep misgivings<\/span><\/a>. Seoul and Washington also agreed to beef up their combined defense capability via<\/span> expanded military exercises<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Significantly, Taiwan came up during the two leaders’ joint press conference as well: Biden<\/span> said<\/span><\/a> he and Yoon were committed to \u201cpromoting stability across the Taiwan Straits as well; and ensuring freedom of navigation, including in the South China Sea and beyond.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While this statement was nearly identical to <\/span>one<\/span><\/a> made in 2021 when Biden held a summit with then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in, it would be a mistake to view this in a vacuum. Yoon has made overtures toward taking a harder line on Beijing, and the war in Ukraine has also revealed ways in which South Korea could get more involved in the Taiwan issue.<\/span><\/p>\n Recently, Canada <\/span>asked<\/span><\/a> South Korea for 100,000 rounds of 155mm artillery shells, noteworthy as Ottawa <\/span>plans to ship to Ukraine<\/span><\/a> M777 howitzers that fire the same ammunition. While Yoon has given <\/span>no indication<\/span><\/a> of changing Seoul\u2019s policy of providing chiefly <\/span>non-lethal, humanitarian assistance<\/span><\/a> to Ukraine, providing the ammunition to Canada could amount to indirect aid insofar as it frees up Ottawa to increase its own military support to Kyiv.<\/span><\/p>\n The same goes for Poland\u2019s <\/span>request<\/span><\/a> to South Korea for<\/span> K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tanks<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>K21 Infantry Fighting Vehicles<\/span><\/a> (likely to<\/span> replace the T-72 tanks<\/span><\/a> donated to Ukraine) <\/span>and<\/span> K4 automatic grenade launchers<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Beijing will never compromise on Taiwan. But strengthening the ROK\u2019s alliance with the U.S. is also a matter of national sovereignty, identity and survival for Seoul. While the costs of crossing the Rubicon and supporting Taiwan appear to outweigh the benefits in the near future, the changing global order means Yoon may increasingly face calls to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n