US rebalancing strategy and South Korea’s middle power diplomacy

Abstract

At the same time that the USA has unveiled its rebalance to Asia, South Korean foreign policy strategists have been carefully considering how their country can more effectively use diplomatic, economic, and military capabilities it has accrued as a result of its own rise to prominence as a G-20 member and top-tier trading economy. The discussion within South Korean foreign policy circles regarding its future strategy has been animated primarily by the idea that South Korea is a middle power. Therefore, a deeper understanding and application of attributes of a middle power to South Korea’s situation will assist South Korean policymakers by providing a constructive blueprint for South Korea’s foreign policy.