By Yong Kwon
Even as it deepens ties with China, South Korea takes steps to bolster the U.S.-led regional order.
Over the past two years, a noticeable feature of President Park Geun-hye’s foreign policy has been Seoul’s warming diplomatic relations with Beijing. Both the state visit by President Xi Jinping in July, and the Park administration’s push to finish negotiations with Beijing on a free trade agreement this year, suggest that the Blue House is adopting a strong pro-China posture. Most recently, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a military hotline, perhaps hinting at their intention to cooperate more closely on North Korea.
Meanwhile, the Park administration’s opposition to the Abe government’s reinterpretation of Japan’s constitution, alongside its strong denunciation of Tokyo’s revisionist attitudes towards Japan’s colonial legacy, seem to hint at a shift in the longstanding ROK-Japan partnership.
However, on closer inspection, the Blue House appears to be pursuing a more nuanced foreign policy, aimed at maximizing the economic benefits of maintaining closer ties with Beijing while also supporting the traditional alliance structure in the region.
Read the full story at The Diplomat