"Fallback or Transformation? Japanese and South Korean Foreign Policies Toward Northeast Asia" @ Brookings
2010/03/10
On March 8th, 2010, the Global COE Programme Chief Organizer, Prof. Iwashita, and GCOE member, Dr. Chi, spoke at the Brookings Institution at a Joint Seminar hosted by the two institutions titled “Fallback or Transformation? Japanese and South Korean Foreign Policies Toward Northeast Asia”. 20 people attended the seminar including new fellows at the Centre for Northeast Asian Policies at Brookings.
Dr. Chi gave a talk about the foreign policies of the conservative administration of Lee Myung Bak and examined President Lee’s “Global Korea Strategy,” “Resource and Energy Diplomacy,” as well as reinforcing diplomatic relations with East Asian countries such as China and Japan (and Russia). The current administration has emphasized the strengthening of South Korea’s international and global commitments and to secure energy and resources for a resource scarce South Korea to further its economic growth in the future. However, she also indicated that President Lee’s diplomatic initiatives have been met with internal and external obstacles thus far such as domestic politics (conservative vs. progressive) as well as the North Korean issue and the dynamics of East Asia’s political configuration.
Prof. Iwashita examined the foreign policies of the current Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and pointed out the possibility and necessity of the transformation of the current “romantic” Northeast Asian triangle of Japan, U.S. and China into a quadrangle including Russia for a more stable relation among U.S. and Northeast Asian powers. The emphasis on this quandrangle comes from the fact that the U.S. is the only country that does not share a border with the other 3 countries—thereby, many current border issues (i.e. northern territories issue between Russia and Japan) that affect the 3 countries do not transform into “domestic issues” in each country which is important in shaping foreign policies and diplomatic relations among these countries. Prof. Iwashita also mentioned that the quadrangle among these countries must be grounded on traditional and non-traditional “alliance” to meet new challenges that face not only this region but also the world in the new global era.
Discussions included issue such as the influence of public opinion in Korea, the effect of voting behaviours of undecided voters (not conservative nor progressive), feasibility and the consequences of such quadrangle, and possible scenarios in international relations once Korea is unified.
Dr. Chi gave a talk about the foreign policies of the conservative administration of Lee Myung Bak and examined President Lee’s “Global Korea Strategy,” “Resource and Energy Diplomacy,” as well as reinforcing diplomatic relations with East Asian countries such as China and Japan (and Russia). The current administration has emphasized the strengthening of South Korea’s international and global commitments and to secure energy and resources for a resource scarce South Korea to further its economic growth in the future. However, she also indicated that President Lee’s diplomatic initiatives have been met with internal and external obstacles thus far such as domestic politics (conservative vs. progressive) as well as the North Korean issue and the dynamics of East Asia’s political configuration.
Prof. Iwashita examined the foreign policies of the current Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and pointed out the possibility and necessity of the transformation of the current “romantic” Northeast Asian triangle of Japan, U.S. and China into a quadrangle including Russia for a more stable relation among U.S. and Northeast Asian powers. The emphasis on this quandrangle comes from the fact that the U.S. is the only country that does not share a border with the other 3 countries—thereby, many current border issues (i.e. northern territories issue between Russia and Japan) that affect the 3 countries do not transform into “domestic issues” in each country which is important in shaping foreign policies and diplomatic relations among these countries. Prof. Iwashita also mentioned that the quadrangle among these countries must be grounded on traditional and non-traditional “alliance” to meet new challenges that face not only this region but also the world in the new global era.
Discussions included issue such as the influence of public opinion in Korea, the effect of voting behaviours of undecided voters (not conservative nor progressive), feasibility and the consequences of such quadrangle, and possible scenarios in international relations once Korea is unified.
