A Study On South Korea’s Participation In The G20 System

This paper is a study on the changes of Korea’s diplomatic state and role as a middle power after its participation in the G20 system.South Korea had enhanced its participation in the international affairs and international status on the foundation of the achievements of economic development in the 1970s and 1980s,and was well-known as a middle power internally and externally by 1990s.But it had restrictions in perceiving as the middle-power diplomacy amidst a consistent lack of goals and policies,moreover,a special geopolitical environment.In the uprising during 2008 on the global financial crisis and the emergence of the G20 system,Korea reorganized overhaul the diplomatic goals and policies and wanted to use them as a basis for improving its diplomatic status.If so,what changes and achievements did Korea’s middle-power diplomacy has achieved for the past 10 years?How did Korea utilize the G20 system to realize strengthening its diplomatic status and role as a middle power?Based on the main concepts and definitions of the study of middle power countries,this paper evaluated the change and performance of South Korea’s middle-power diplomacy in two ways:objective national power and diplomatic capability.For verification purposes,the agenda for the International Monetary Fund reform and the International Development Cooperation were selected for analysis.As a major research methodology,the Document Analysis was adopted.Korea’s diplomatic white paper,major government official documents,G20 Summit declarations and statements as primary data were utilized.As a result,the participation of the G20 system itself did not bring about any significant changes in Korea’s economic status and capability,but it was observed that it served as a mechanism for strengthening domestic and foreign policies,and enhancing its diplomatic status and voice in terms of its diplomatic capabilities.Korea has adjusted "the imbalance between economic and diplomatic capabilities" and strengthened its status and role as a middle power within the G20 system.Based on the above analysis and observation,this paper reviews the theoretical significance of the current research and theory.In addition,this paper presents South Korea’s diplomatic task to strengthen its inclusive leadership and role as a middle power.