A Study On South Korea’s Diplomatic Policies, Under Its Asymmetric Alliance With The U.S.

The residual Japanese military garrisoned in the south of Korean peninsulasurrendered after the U.S.A military enter and garrisoned into the South Korea onSeptember,1945. However, America withdrew its military after the government of theRepublic of Korea established in1949because they didn’t think there is any strategicvalue of the South Korea at that time. But the U.S.A came back to Korean peninsula andjoined the war of Korean War in1950, trying to block the development of Soviet Union.After the war was finished, the South Korea demanded to conclude the defense pactwith the U.S.A and established the alliance relation with each other in1953, which aimsat to prevent the second time invasion of the North Korea. The alliance relation betweenAmerica and the South Korea is a typical asymmetric alliance made between a greatpower and a weak country, the South Korea received a safeguard by sacrificing itsautonomous rights.The Safety-Autonomy Exchange Alliance theory and Abandon EntrapmentDilemma theory will functioned as a theory framework of the unique of alliance of theU.S.A with the South Korea in this thesis. The theory of the exchanging alliancepropositions that the weak country has to sacrifice its autonomous rights to the greatpower for receiving the safeguard in the alliance of asymmetry relations, and thedomestic affairs of weak one must be influenced even controlled by the great power tosatisfy the interest of the great power. The safeguard dilemma theory is one of therepresentative theories which explain the relations between the alliance countries mainlyby analyzing the Abandon Entrapment Dilemma. Abandon Dilemma means that there isa worry about the other would betray the one who need supports from others, such as torepudiate the commitment set forth in the alliance, to refuse to support with militaryeven cooperate with the hostile power by breaking the pacts. The Entrapment Dilemma means that a country would get involved in the international dispute or collisions whichhas no benefits or relations with this country. The extension of the impact influenced bythe extension of the relying, relatively benefits and the mounts of obligations.Meanwhile, it’s easier to get stuck in the Abandon Entrapment Dilemma means that theweak party relies more on the great power, and the other side is facing with the dangerof being entrapped by the other side while supplying aids to and get the interests from.The South Korea cannot use its autonomous rights in the alliance of the SouthKorea and America and the U.S.A has a crucial impact on the making policies of SouthKorea. Except for the period of South Korea stay close to the U.S, events like thesigning of Treaty of Daejeon, sending troops to Vietnam, give up the research onnuclear weapons, the end of the Korean War and establish diplomatic relation withJapan are the proof of the South Korea cannot handle its diplomatic policies by itself. Atthe period when the South Korea pursuing its autonomous diplomatic rights, it was aperiod when the comprehensive power of South Korea becoming stronger, theinternational standing is also getting improved, which made South Korea has morerights and dare to say “NO” and don’t have to obey everything when is facing with theU.S.A. But anyway, the American troops still garrisoned in the land of the South Korea,the commending rights in war time still hold by the U.S.A, so the South Korea stillcannot live without America in politics, economy, and the safeguard. After the presidentLee Myung-bak went on power, the North Korea test nuclear weapons frequently, somade the South Korea strengthen the alliance relation with America to ensure the safe ofthe land of South Korea. At the same time, the rising of China extends the cooperationfield from economy and culture to politics and security domain, which makes SouthKorea and China is getting closer and becoming partners. In the field of renaissance ofeconomy, the South Korea is facing with a dilemma that he primacy of realizingregional cooperation or joining the TPP; in stabilizing the situation of the KoreanPeninsula, China has the same influence with America’s nuclear umbrella as a protector.With the eastward of American strategy, China will be regarded as a threaten of thehegemony of America and is will be blocked by the three Island Chains made byAmerica so that once there is a war between China and America, the South Korea has tomake a Choice that which side it will follow. This thesis will framed with the analyzingof Safety-Autonomy Exchange Alliance theory and Abandon Entrapment Dilemmatheory by summarizing the experiences of China-South Korea relation of every governments of the South Korea, to analyze the diplomatic situation of Park Geun-hyegovernment so that give some suggestions about finding a balance point between Chinaand the U.S. to South Korea.There are five parts in this thesis,The first part states the theory what is that the alliance Theory and the asymmetryalliance theory. The statement of the alliance theory in this thesis is using the definitionof realism which are classified by the comparison of the power, and the duties inalliance, they are alliance of equal, symmetry and that unequal, asymmetry. Thus toderivate the asymmetry alliance theory and which is also the main theory framework ofthis essay, by using what to analyzing the alliance relation of South Korea and America.The second part will list the diplomatic history to China and the U.S.A of the SouthKorea, and analyze that by using the Security-autonomy exchanging theory andAbandon Entrapment Dilemma theory. As for the power of a country, there is a clearresult of comparison that the South Korea is weaker than America so that it sacrifice itsautonomic rights for a security provided by America and there is a deep impact of beingabandoned and entrapped to South Korea because of the dependence.The third part will make a survey about the diplomatic situation of South Koreabased on the analyzing the diplomatic history to China and America of South Korea.The overall direction of managing of Park Geun-hye government is still to ensure thesecurity by realize alliance relation with America. The government is trying to maintainthe peaceful environment by cooperating with America in military and cooperate withChina in economy, but the first is more import, so, the diplomatic strategy of ParkGeun-hye government is still places an important role to the alliance with America.The fourth part is aimed at the solving problems of South Korea because of thealliance of U.S.A-South Korea to predict a beneficial strategy for South Korea. First ofall, the rights which can handle its domestic politics and diplomatic strategyautonomously is the most basic right for a country. In future, the South Korea canensure a security based on the alliance of U.S.-South Korea, but for a long term in thefuture, the prime interests should be laid on the self-development of domestic security.Then, as for the Abandon Entrapment theory, the dilemma of alliance is a problemwhich every country has to face with. For a short term, the South Korea is depending onthe alliance deeply, and America is trying to block China with rebalance of Asia andPacific, the Tiaoyu island issue, the Taiwan independent issue, and the nuclear issue about the North Korea, the South Korea is worrying about being abandoned so that ittrying to strengthen the relation so that there is a possible that the South Korea might bein a dilemma of being entrapped. Then according to the self-orientation of thebridge-builder in South Korea, what is to treat the interests and collisions with Chinaand the U.S.A with justice and equity, emphasis on the development of relation withChina, and formulate a long term strategy of the normalize if the relation between SouthKorea and America.The last part is the conclusion part, which five some superficially suggestions to thedevelopment of China and South Korea. The most beneficial way for a diplomaticstrategy is to make full use of the alliance with America to lay a foundation of exertionof the rights autonomously by develop its own power and security. South Korea shouldrealize the importance of China-South Korea relation, deep the relation of strategicpartnership with China while keep an eye on the strengthening of the alliance withAmerica, to avoid being entrapped by the collisions between China and America. For along term, South Korea should relieve the relation of asymmetry alliance gradually andnormalize the relation with the U.S.A. And what’s more, China and the South Korea isin one continent and are the neighbors of each other, it will be a meaningful decision toup level the strategic partnership with each other.