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South Korea’s Foreign Policy: Leaderless, but Not Rudderless

Posted: January 10th, 2017

Within a week North Korea has gone beyond its New Year’s Day promise that it was close to testing an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), claiming it can launch one “anytime and anywhere.” This is unwelcome news for South Korea, which finds itself in a period of internal political turmoil. The impeachment of President Park Geun Hye has suspended her powers as president and calls into question how effective Seoul will be in managing its foreign policy until either Park is cleared of charges and returns to office or a new president is elected.

North Korea’s nuclear ambition is not the only foreign policy challenge South Korea faces in this leadership vacuum. Its most important bilateral relationships—with China, Japan, and the United States— are all under strain of some kind. However, South Korea is no stranger to precarious geopolitical circumstances, and its history has given it a wealth of experience in dealing with trying times.

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