The Economic Pillar of Korea’s New Southern Policy: Building on Existing Assets
Diversification is a key tenet of South Korea’s New Southern Policy (NSP). In the economic sphere, however, the need for diversification is apparently less pressing as, unlike what is observed in the diplomatic and security domains, Korea’s economic partnerships are less unbalanced and are not (or not as clearly) polarized on the big Four (China, Japan, the United States, and Russia).
“New Southern Policy”, Korea’s Newfound Ambition in Search of Strategic Autonomy
The New Southern Policy (NSP), the signature foreign policy initiative by President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea (ROK) that was officially launched in November 2017, has opened a new chapter in Seoul’s relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as India.
A Democratic tour de force: How the Korean State Successfully Limited the Spread of COVID-19
While the COVID-19 pandemic is still greatly affecting most of the world, the Republic of Korea has managed to stall the spread of the disease.
Korean Democracy in Times of Coronavirus
The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare a series of troublesome truths, both about healthcare infrastructures in Western nations and the state of their democracies.
The quarantine they prescribed, albeit after periods of irresoluteness, drew embarrassing parallels to measures taken by China just a few weeks earlier. Social life has come to a near standstill without citizens being given a chance to deliberate, as procedures were discussed for the most part in closed-door meetings between the executive branch and appointed experts: the White House Coronavirus Task Force in the United States, the Scientific Council of France, etc. The general public has been hardly more involved in the West than in China.
In contrast, South Korea has thus far been the only significantly affected country to contain the spread of Covid-19 without shutting itself down or compromising even temporarily democratic institutions.
The Return: Russia and the Security Landscape of Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia has emerged as a critical theater of Russian foreign policy in recent years.
Moscow’s historical Westerncentrism is giving way to a new awareness about the vital importance of the region. The “turn to the East” now has genuine substance and impetus. Yet Russian policy is a work in progress, more opportunistic than strategic. The security landscape is complex and fluid, and Moscow has struggled to manage its contradictions.
South Korea’s Hydrogen Strategy and Industrial Perspectives
South Korea is a hydrogen (H2) frontrunner. The world’s first commercial fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) was launched by the South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai (Tucson i×35) in 2013.
POSCO Energy, South Korea’s largest private energy producer, completed the world’s largest fuel cell manufacturing plant in 2015. When President Moon took office in 2018, the new government identified H2 as a new growth engine, and pledged to turn the country into a H2 economy.
Japan’s Trade Policy in the Midst of Uncertainty
The multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization (WTO) has been of the utmost importance for Japan’s trade policy.
Korea in Africa: Between Soft Power and Economic Interests
Through development assistance and economic engagement, South Korea has sought to project itself as a different kind of partner for Africa. In reality, it is not so unique.
South Korea's New Electricity Plan. Cosmetic Changes or a Breakthrough for the Climate?
Shortly after his inauguration in May 2017, the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-In, announced a major policy shift away from nuclear and coal power, and toward renewables and gas. This would have meant a complete U-turn from previous policies, considering that nuclear and coal produced 40% and 30% respectively of Korea’s total electricity in 2016.
Corée du Sud, la septième armée du monde ?
As Democratic Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) continuous development of non-conventional weapons and challenges of the international community reaches a new level, Republic of Korea (ROK) appears more than ever as the frontline state on which most of North-East Asia security depends.
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