{"id":2201320,"date":"2023-06-08T18:47:52","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T09:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201320"},"modified":"2023-11-20T17:59:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T08:59:22","slug":"with-new-strategy-yoon-suk-yeol-reimagines-south-koreas-role-on-global-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/06\/with-new-strategy-yoon-suk-yeol-reimagines-south-koreas-role-on-global-stage\/","title":{"rendered":"With new strategy, Yoon Suk-yeol reimagines South Korea\u2019s role on global stage"},"content":{"rendered":"
In a significant shift in South Korea\u2019s national security approach, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration <\/span>unveiled<\/span><\/a> a detailed blueprint of its defense, diplomacy and reunification plans on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As anticipated, Yoon\u2019s National Security Strategy represents a departure from his predecessor, Moon Jae-in<\/span>, and it puts his aspiration to elevate South Korea into a \u201cglobal pivotal state\u201d front and center.<\/span><\/p>\n Nevertheless, the feasibility of realizing this vision, given the practical constraints of international diplomacy, remains uncertain.<\/span><\/p>\n THE NORTH KOREAN THREAT<\/b><\/p>\n The most conspicuous divergence in Yoon\u2019s strategy, when juxtaposed against his predecessor\u2019s, lies in its pronounced focus on North Korea\u2019s accelerating development of weapons of mass destruction, naming them as South Korea\u2019s most immediate security threat.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue to develop our military into a strong and technologically advanced force, thereby creating a solid foundation of security,\u201d Yoon wrote in the document\u2019s preface. \u201cOur goal is to foster a sustainable peace that guarantees freedom and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, as opposed to a fragile and short-lived peace that merely postpones war.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This outlook contrasts sharply with Moon Jae-in\u2019s <\/span>2018 national security strategy<\/span><\/a> that sought to \u201cdismantle the last remaining Cold War structure on the planet\u201d by fostering inter-Korean relations and alleviating military tensions. Notably, Yoon\u2019s strategy excludes any mention of an \u201cend-of-war declaration\u201d or a \u201cpeace agreement\u201d \u2014 terms that were central to Moon\u2019s inter-Korean policy.<\/span><\/p>\n Significant, too, is the Yoon administration\u2019s emphasis on the \u201cdenuclearization of North Korea,\u201d contrasting with its predecessor\u2019s broader focus on \u201cdenuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In practical terms, the distinction between the two phrases may appear negligible as North Korea is the sole nuclear-armed state on the peninsula. But the DPRK favors the latter term because it also objects to the U.S. nuclear umbrella for the ROK, as Yoon now regularly asserts that Seoul\u2019s security relationship with Washington is now a \u201c<\/span>nuclear-based alliance<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n WARMING TIES WITH JAPAN<\/b><\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, the Yoon administration\u2019s approach to Japan is also distinct from the Moon administration. This strategic pivot is encapsulated in its commitment to pursue a future-oriented relationship with Japan, in line with the vision articulated in <\/span>the 1998 Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n This 1998 declaration, which sought to underscore the importance of building a friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries, notably includes Japan\u2019s \u201cdeep remorse and heartfelt apology\u201d for its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.<\/span><\/p>\n Though Yoon\u2019s strategy makes a cursory reference to historical disputes that have strained Seoul-Tokyo relations, it immediately transitions to an emphasis on the \u201cpressing security landscape.\u201d According to the document, the complexity of the current regional security environment has \u201camplified the necessity\u201d for both countries to jointly address regional security concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n Further, the Yoon administration indicates its intention to bolster collaboration with Japan on regional, global and Korean Peninsula matters. This enhanced cooperation, the document suggests, would be based on a shared set of universal values such as \u201cfreedom, democracy and human rights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In stark contrast, the Moon administration adopted a markedly terse stance toward Japan. It relegated Japan to the status of a \u201cgeographically and culturally close neighbor,\u201d placing a strong emphasis on the need to firmly counteract Japanese claims of distorted history and Tokyo\u2019s sovereignty claims over the Dokdo islets, known in Japan as Takeshima.<\/span><\/p>\n The previous administration\u2019s strategy was also critical of <\/span>the 2015 Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement<\/span><\/a>, arguing it failed to adopt a \u201cvictim-centered approach.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n