South Korea

As Yoon Suk-yeol takes charge amid global disorder and deep domestic divide, his legacy will be defined by how well he succeeds in effectively walking the talk of positioning Seoul front and centre in shaping a rules-based order in Indo-Pacific.

• Titli Basu
• March 14, 2022
• IDSA Comments

In the arena of international relations nation-states have been regarded as the primary actors. However, the constituent units of nation-states have also become active in forging relations with the political units which are located outside the national borders through ‘para-diplomacy’. Since the 1990s the states of Indian union have been playing a significant role in India’s foreign affairs. The Narendra Modi government in New Delhi has also established a ‘States Division’ in the Ministry of External Affairs.

• Ranjit Kumar Dhawan
• September 2019
• Strategic Analysis

The Twenty-first century security environment is highly uncertain. The changing security paradigm has deepened and broadened the concept to a large extent. On the one hand, the traditional notion of… Continue reading United States Bio-surveillance Project in South Korea: A conflict between Traditional and Non-Traditional Security

• Vasudevan Mani Tripathi
• January-June 2019
• CBW Magazine

While the recent Korean Summit marks the beginning of the new era, to achieve lasting peace will require intense diplomatic efforts.

• G.G. Dwivedi
• May 04, 2018
• IDSA Comments

A rational decision maker in the White House does not have all options on the table and cannot start a war without South Korea’s consent. Diplomacy is the only option and this is as obvious as obvious can be.

• K. P. Fabian
• May 03, 2017
• IDSA Comments

India needs to engage more pointedly with South Korea, Japan, the United States and even bilaterally with DPRK to convey its concerns regarding the latter’s strategic cooperation with Pakistan.

• Jagannath P. Panda
• September 27, 2016
• IDSA Comments

ROK is employing an effective combination of gifting equipment combined with joint ventures with local industry, which has the dual effect of increasing exports and forging partnerships with domestic industries in a region where it has hitherto had a very minimal defence relationship.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj
• August 19, 2016
• IDSA Comments

While it is Japan’s responsibility to pave the road to reconciliation, but for any meaningful progress China and South Korea must reciprocate since reconciliation is a two-way process.

• Titli Basu
• August 24, 2015
• Issue Brief

South Korea is not a traditional Arctic state, but it has several key interests in the region. This article explores the sources of those interests and the country’s commercial activities in the Arctic in the areas of shipping, shipbuilding and hydrocarbons. Since the country’s polar interests transcend commerce, however, attention is also paid to the importance of science and research and development in Korean culture.

• Mia M. Bennett
• November 2014
• Strategic Analysis

In the aftermath of recent North Korean actions and threats, there has been in recent times some open debates and discussions about the prospects of South Korea “going nuclear” i.e. developing its own nuclear weapons. This brief argues that short of abrogating all its bilateral and multilateral treaties and obligations with heavy costs, the prospects of it doing so in the short/medium term are not that easy and may not be cost effective.

• G. Balachandran , Rukmani Gupta
• May 01, 2013
• Issue Brief