South Korea as a global pivotal state | 국외연구자료

KDI 경제교육·정보센터

Economic Information and Education Center

한국관련자료

South Korea as a global pivotal state

Brookings

2023.12.29

The idea of South Korea as a global pivotal state (hereafter GPS) may not seem new to followers of South Korean foreign policy, especially those who remember former President Lee Myung-bak’s (2008-2013) “Global Korea” campaign. GPS may therefore reflect a difference in degree rather than in kind in South Korean foreign policy. But GPS is also deeply motivated by shared principles and values as they intersect with strategic interests. Put into practice, Yoon has pursued a more ambitious, activist foreign policy agenda in his first two years in office relative to past South Korean presidents.
This policy brief explores the Yoon administration’s concept of GPS and its implications for South Korean foreign policy. Drawing on South Korean policy documents, speeches made by Yoon, and interviews and roundtable discussions with South Korean policy experts, three themes emerge undergirding the GPS concept: deeper values; greater strategic relevance; and increased global public goods. Having transitioned from a once war-torn, underdeveloped, authoritarian state to an economically developed, technologically advanced, democratic country, South Korea can indeed play the role of GPS by helping shape international norms, collectively enforce global rules, and bridge ties between developed and developing nations. The United States and like-minded allies and partners in Asia and Europe have also welcomed the Yoon government’s broader diplomatic, economic, and strategic contributions extending beyond Asia. Nevertheless, questions and challenges also remain on the domestic and international front as the Yoon government seeks to convert GPS from a foreign policy slogan to a long-term strategic framework.

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