Since his election as president of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol has stressed a number of key themes including: a focus on alliance relations, particularly strong ties with the United States; strengthened defence policy and a more assertive military posture towards the Democratic Republic of North Korea (DPRK); the renewal of closer, more cooperative relations with Japan in an effort to move beyond contentious historical controversies; and more generally the pursuit of a more active role in the IndoPacific region and a higher global profile.
Despite these clear declarations of intent, it is unclear if the administration has yet developed a sufficiently rigorous strategic outlook for confronting its immediate foreign policy challenges, both regionally and globally.
North Korea’s increasing conventional security provocations in the form of repeated missile launches (both short and long-range), its belligerent nuclear rhetoric and its apparent commitment to persist in nuclear testing have raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of the ROK and its traditional security partners.
This webinar considers whether the new administration has a clear strategic vision for addressing the threat from North Korea, for building a durable partnership with the United States in the face of potential US public scepticism about long-term foreign policy commitments, and for making good on the ROK’s promise to be a global actor able to respond credibly to security challenges not merely in Asia, but in Europe and elsewhere.
This event forms part of the Korea Foundation Korea Fellowship funded by the Korea Foundation and Taejae Academy.
