Towards a New Axis of Security?
As Russia‘s aggression continues to unsettle Eastern and Northern Europe, few countries can empathise more than South Korea. Confronting its own nuclear-armed neighbour across one of the world‘s most militarised borders, Seoul has long relied on a dual strategy: reinforcing deterrence at home while cultivating strategic partners abroad. The United States remains its most comprehensive ally, with deep military, diplomatic, and economic ties, and relations with Japan are improving despite a complicated historical legacy. Yet, in recent years, South Korea‘s most dynamic partnerships have emerged not in Asia or across the Pacific, but in Europe―most notably with Poland and several other EU member states.
RAND
2025.11.05