Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy will not isolate, exclude any single country

Diplomacy

Published: 28 Dec. 2022, 18:45

Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy will not isolate, exclude any single country

Foreign Minister Park Jin, left, shakes hands with Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming, before he announced the details of the Indo-Pacific strategy of Korea at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Wednesday. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy, formally announced on Wednesday, is not about isolating or excluding any single country, said Foreign Minister Park Jin.

Park spoke at the ministry headquarters in Seoul, addressing some 50 diplomats, including Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming.

“We will work with every partner that is aligned with our vision and principles of cooperation,” he said, adding that the strategy could be considered a so-called “Yoon Suk-yeol doctrine” on foreign policy.

The strategy, formally called “Strategy for a Free, Peaceful, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region,” highlights Korea’s intended foreign policy outlook toward the Indo-Pacific region, which the report says includes all of Northern America, Japan, China, Mongolia, as well as Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Oceania, and even the African countries facing the Indian Ocean.

“The strategy emphasizes that Korea should look beyond the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia and have a more a global perspective in considering its diplomatic overtures,” said Lim Sang-beom, presidential secretary for national security, speaking during a discussion session hosted by the ministry after Park’s speech.

It calls for a free Indo-Pacific that upholds international norms and rules-based order, as well as universal values on freedom, democracy and human rights.

This could include working with any partner aligned with similar visions to strengthen non-proliferation and counter-terrorism efforts in the region; building an economic security network across key sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum science, advanced biology, next-generation telecommunications and even space; as well as working on energy security and climate change, according to the strategy report.

Diplomats representing over 40 countries attend a forum hosted by the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Wednesday to explain the details of Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

Korea's cooperation with its traditional partners in the Northeast Asia region, such as the United States and Japan, were still included in the report, which called the Korea-U.S. alliance "the linchpin for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific," and recited hopes a future-oriented partnership with Japan.

The agenda for denuclearization of North Korea was also included.

The strategy was released as a report on Wednesday after seven months of preparation this year.

President Yoon Suk-yeol first mentioned that the Korean government was devising the strategy after he met with U.S. President Joe Biden in May.

The American government’s Indo-Pacific strategy released in February directly addresses “mounting challenges” from China, much to Beijing’s protest.

Stating that its “coercion and aggression spans the globe,” the strategy highlighted China’s economic pressure on Australia, conflict with India, pressure on Taiwan and “bullying of neighbors” in the East and South China Seas, as examples.

Korea’s Indo-Pacific strategy does not include such direct language related to China, but does include some that Beijing has protested before, such as "stability on the Taiwan Strait" and "freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea."

Some experts who attended the ministry's briefing on Wednesday afternoon discussed possible ramifications of Korea’s foreign policymaking that could follow the announcement of the strategy.

“There have been criticisms on Korea going ahead with producing its Indo-Pacific strategy, and some have characterized the decision as being overly eager and willing to follow in the footsteps of the United States, which sees China as an economic competitor in the region,” said Kim Min-sung, a political scientist at the Ilmin International Relations Institute of Korea University.

“Every country that produces an Indo-Pacific strategy will no doubt have a different approach to the region, but it will still be difficult for Korea to entirely dismiss this narrative.”

Korea is not the only ally of the United States to put out its own foreign policy strategy to the region. Japan did in June, Canada in November, in which it called China “increasingly disruptive,” and the European Union in September 2021.

“We have noted that this strategy aligns very well with Australia's own vision for an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific where no one nation can seek to dominate others,” said Catherine Raper, Australian ambassador to Korea, during the discussion session at the ministry. “And we very much look forward to working with the ROK [Republic of Korea] to implement your Indo-Pacific strategy.

“Our cooperation and coordination we believe will be important given that Australia is a fellow U.S. ally, a comprehensive strategic partner with Asean and that we have long-standing and deep ties to our Pacific neighbors,” she added.

The strategy called for a trilateral cooperation with Australia and the United States to build and protect a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan released a statement welcoming Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy immediately after its announcement Wednesday.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]