South Korea

Abstract

South Korea is a maritime nation that holds an important position in the Indo-Pacific. Despite mounting challenges that require enhanced cooperation among states and non-state actors over interstate and transnational maritime issues, South Korea has been facing a geopolitical conundrum amidst the burgeoning United States-China competition and the lingering threats from North Korea. This chapter identifies several key maritime issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula and argues that South Korea must strengthen international engagement by openly committing to the values shared by the Indo-Pacific community. At the same time, South Korea must enhance tailored sea power to cope with multidimensional challenges at sea. Moreover, effective decision making will come from increased awareness of the maritime domain and cooperation among various actors. Although South Korea’s strategy of ambiguity and hedging is understandable considering the geopolitical landscape, Blue Security is an alternative, comprehensive approach that will allow South Korea to contribute to international efforts against emerging maritime threats, and at the same time, advance South Korea’s national security goals.