{"id":2202666,"date":"2023-11-07T13:07:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T04:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2202666"},"modified":"2023-11-10T18:48:33","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T09:48:33","slug":"how-escalating-gaza-conflict-tests-south-koreas-middle-eastern-diplomacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/11\/how-escalating-gaza-conflict-tests-south-koreas-middle-eastern-diplomacy\/","title":{"rendered":"How escalating Gaza conflict tests South Korea\u2019s Middle Eastern diplomacy"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Gaza conflict escalates between Israel and Hamas, South Korea finds itself navigating a diplomatic tightrope in the Middle East.<\/span><\/p>\n

The balancing act came into sharp focus recently when South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol returned from a state visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Not just a diplomatic foray, he was accompanied by business leaders from Samsung, Hyundai, SK and other leading companies, sealing <\/span>$15.6 billion in commercial deals<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Seoul unveiled a <\/span>$2 million humanitarian aid package<\/span><\/a> aimed at aiding civilians caught in the crossfire of the Gaza conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n

South Korea\u2019s stance on the conflict is nuanced. Its immediate response to the Hamas-initiated hostilities was a firm condemnation of the \u201c<\/span>indiscriminate attacks on Israel from Gaza<\/span><\/a>.\u201d This position aligned with regional partners like <\/span>Australia<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Japan<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Singapore<\/span><\/a>. However, there\u2019s a notable divergence from the U.S. and other Western leaders: South Korea has stopped short of offering full public support for Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a telling parliamentary session on Oct. 10, South Korean foreign minister Park Jin underlined Seoul\u2019s delicate position. He voiced the nation\u2019s support for the <\/span>two-state solution<\/span><\/a> and its desire for peace through dialogue. This sentiment was echoed a week later when South Korea vocalized its concern for casualties on both sides and ardently backed the delivery of humanitarian aid and civilian protection under international humanitarian law.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the waters get murkier. A day after meeting with Park, Israeli Ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor took to social media stating that Park <\/span>conveyed<\/span><\/a> \u201ca strong message of support for Israel.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Seoul painted a more reserved picture, <\/span>stating<\/span><\/a> only that it hoped for the situation to \u201cde-escalate as soon as possible and that no more lives will be lost.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

President Yoon Suk-yeol attends the signing ceremony of a South Korea-Qatar MOU, Oct. 25, 2023 | Image: ROK Presidential Office<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

MIDDLE EASTERN STAKES<\/b><\/p>\n

South Korea\u2019s recent gesture of dispatching civilian and military aircraft to evacuate its citizens, along with other foreign nationals, including Japanese citizens \u2014 a move earning Tokyo\u2019s gratitude \u2014 showcases its diplomatic sensibilities amid escalating tensions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The articulation of the ROK\u2019s diplomatic stance was evident in its <\/span>joint statement<\/span><\/a> during Yoon\u2019s recent Saudi Arabia visit. Emphasizing the protection of civilians \u201cin accordance with international law\u201d and \u201cunimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance,\u201d Korea aligned with the international rules-based narratives prevailing among most global leaders.<\/span><\/p>\n

Backing this measured approach are undeniable economic motivations. The Middle East holds promise for South Korea\u2019s global ambitions. Yoon and his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, identified the region as an area of significant potential growth, tapping into sectors like energy \u2014 spanning oil, gas, nuclear and hydrogen \u2014 and infrastructure.<\/span><\/p>\n

A look at trade figures highlights this relationship. Last year, Saudi Arabia and Qatar provided 38% of South Korea\u2019s crude oil needs and <\/span>21% of its gas demand<\/span><\/a>, with their combined contribution to Korea\u2019s imports reaching $57 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2022, Yoon welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to South Korea. The meeting culminated in a <\/span>nearly $30 billion agreement<\/span><\/a> on infrastructure and the ambitious Neom City project. Further, the United Arab Emirates, which houses South Korea\u2019s maiden nuclear power plant export, <\/span>pledged an additional $30 billion<\/span><\/a> in various Korean sectors.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, South Korea enjoyed flourishing trade ties with Iran, Israel\u2019s arch-nemesis and a key Hamas supporter. However, tensions between Washington and Tehran have shrunk this bilateral trade by over 95%, from a robust $17 billion a decade ago to <\/span>less than $200 million<\/span><\/a> last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result of then-U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, culminating in U.S. sanctions against Iran, Seoul was compelled to freeze Iranian assets per U.S. sanctions. More than <\/span>$7 billion<\/span><\/a> of Iranian funds \u2014 Seoul\u2019s payment for oil that Iran had supplied before the U.S. reimposed sanctions \u2014 was frozen in the ROK.<\/span><\/p>\n

In August, just weeks before Hamas\u2019 attack on Israel, the U.S. and Iran had reached a <\/span>deal<\/span><\/a> involving a prisoner exchange in return for the release of the frozen funds for humanitarian purposes. But the outbreak of the conflict has put the deal on ice, and the funds were <\/span>frozen again<\/span><\/a>, this time in Qatar.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Two American F-16s, an American B-52H, two South Korean F-15Ks and two Japanese F-2s conduct their first joint air exercise in the overlapping Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) of South Korea and Japan, south of the Korean Peninsula, Oct. 22, 2023 | Image: United States Air Force<\/p><\/div>\n

SECURITY AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS<\/b><\/p>\n

South Korea finds itself navigating a precarious situation. Its economic interdependence with the Middle East contrasts sharply with its security interests at home and its alliance relationship with the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\n

The initial challenges faced by Israel\u2019s Iron Dome in countering Hamas\u2019 sudden attack <\/span>did not go unnoticed<\/span><\/a> in Seoul. Israel\u2019s exposed vulnerabilities put Seoul on <\/span>high alert<\/span><\/a> for the risk of similar surprise attacks from the North.<\/span><\/p>\n

While some analysts argue that <\/span>North Korea\u2019s strategic calculus is distinct<\/span><\/a> from that of Hamas, the perceived risk of surprise strikes from Pyongyang has spurred the ROK\u2019s new defense minister, Shin Won-sik, to <\/span>propose the suspension of the 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement<\/span><\/a> with North Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further complicating matters, Kim Jong Un\u2019s recent meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin has rung alarm bells in Seoul. The deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang <\/span>fuel suspicions<\/span><\/a> about North Korea bolstering its arsenal with technological aid from Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the DPRK has denied it, South Korean officials and experts <\/span>allege<\/span><\/a> that weapons originating from North Korea have found their way to Hamas, further intertwining the geopolitical narratives of East Asia and the Middle East.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing these evolving threats, Seoul is doubling down on its defense strategy, particularly its partnership with the U.S. Emblematic of this heightened defense collaboration was the recent <\/span>first-ever trilateral aerial exercise<\/span><\/a> involving U.S., South Korean and Japanese forces, signaling unified deterrence against North Korean threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Seoul\u2019s considerations are not merely strategic. Yoon\u2019s Global Pivotal State strategy places a marked emphasis on human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seoul will also cast a watchful eye on other regional and international partners\u2019 reactions \u2014 such as Australia, Japan and European leaders, as well as those of the Global South.<\/span><\/p>\n

In its quest for a balanced diplomatic approach, South Korea faces challenges many nations face \u2014 balancing security, economic and ethical considerations amid a volatile global landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited by John Lee<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Defense & Security<\/span><\/a>Domestic Politics<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the Gaza conflict escalates between Israel and Hamas, South Korea finds itself navigating a diplomatic tightrope in the Middle East. The balancing act came into sharp focus recently when South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol returned from a state visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. 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