South Korea At The Crossroads: Autonomy And Alliance In An Era Of
Rival Powers

Product Description

Against the backdrop of China's mounting influence & North Korea's growing nuclear capability & expanding missile arsenal South Korea faces a set of strategic choices that will shape its economic prospects & national security In South Korea at the Crossroads Scott A Snyder examines the trajectory of fifty years of South Korean foreign policy & offers predictions-and a prescription-for the future Pairing a historical perspective with a shrewd view of today's political landscape Snyder contends that South Korea's best strategy remains investing in a robust alliance with the United States Snyder begins with South Korea's effort in the 1960s to offset the risk of abandonment by the United States during the Vietnam War & the subsequent crisis in the alliance during the 1970s A series of shifts in South Korean foreign relations followed from the " Nordpolitik" engagement with the Soviet Union & China at the end of the Cold War; to Kim Dae Jung's " Sunshine Policy" designed to bring North Korea into the international community; to "trustpolitik" which sought to foster diplomacy with North Korea & Japan; to changes in South Korea's relationship with the United States Despite its rise as a leader in international financial development & climate-change forums South Korea will likely still require the commitment of the United States to guarantee its security Although China is a tempting option Snyder argues that only the United States is both credible & capable in this role As South Korea remains vulnerable relative to other regional powers in northeast Asia despite its rising profile as a middle power it must ultimately balance the contradiction of desirable autonomy & necessary alliance