Korea will strengthen its role in the Indo-Pacific

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sworn in on May 10, 2022 – Photo: Reuters

Professor Choe Wongi – Dean of ASEAN – India Studies Department, Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) – said that President Yoon Suk Yeol has a different strategic vision and political orientation than his predecessor Moon. Jae In.

Therefore, he will make different choices in foreign policy when in power.

Expand cooperation with ASEAN

In the coming time, President Yoon is expected to highlight the direction that “Korean policy will not be restricted to the Korean peninsula”.

“That means South Korea needs to expand its role in the region, not only on economic issues but also political and security issues in the Indo-Pacific region,” Professor Choe said.

Mr. Choe noted that when giving comments to the Korean Foreign Ministry in February, President Yoon emphasized that Seoul should work with like-minded countries to strengthen “a free, open and inclusive order.” in the Indo-Pacific”, and “increasingly responding to the key global challenges of our time”.

In addition, Mr. Yoon also emphasized Korea’s interests when it joins the working groups of the “Diamond Quartet” (USA – Japan – India – Australia), promising to work actively in the contract. cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, restore bilateral relations with Japan, restore trilateral security cooperation with the US and Japan, and especially give the highest priority in strengthening strategic ties and comprehensive with the US.

President Yoon sees relations with the United States as the central axis of South Korea’s foreign policy and pledged to seek a comprehensive strategic alliance with Washington. The new president stressed that Seoul needs to play a bigger role than one of the world’s top 10 economies.

With this orientation and vision, according to Professor Choe, President Yoon and his team will certainly place a high priority on cooperation with ASEAN in the context that ASEAN’s role becomes more and more important in the Indian Ocean. – The Pacific Ocean both economically, diplomatically and strategically.

Pay attention to security shipping

Mr. Zack Cooper, a senior research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said that the new Korean administration could increase cooperation with Asia in the near future and focus on international issues.

Mr. Yoon expressed the direction of Korea’s role not only in East Asia, but also in the entire Indo-Pacific region. “The new president of South Korea is trying to focus on ensuring stability in a larger area, outside of the Korean peninsula,” Cooper said.

Therefore, this expert believes that Seoul will strengthen trilateral cooperation with the US and Japan in the near future. Mr. Cooper noted that over the years, South Korea has avoided taking a tough stance on China, but President Yoon will change course.

Mr. Yoon will talk more about cooperation with like-minded partners on technological and economic issues and cooperate more with the US on security-related issues in East Asia.

Looking at the regional context, according to Mr. Cooper, the US, Japan and Southeast Asian countries will increase cooperation to ensure security at sea.

While it is not clear how South Korea will participate in this cooperation, Mr. Cooper affirmed that maritime security will be a priority in South Korea’s foreign policy. Seoul can promote its role as a manufacturer of ships and equipment for maritime security.