From ASPAC to EAS : South Korea and southeast Asia
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Asian Affairs: An American Review
Publication Date
5-28-2014
Volume
41
Issue
2
First Page
33
Last Page
55
Publisher
Routledge
Keywords
middle power, regionalism, regionalization, South Korea, Southeast Asia
Abstract
South Korea's diplomatic and security focus has inevitably been on northeast Asia and its difficult relationship with its northern neighbour, but South Korea also has a role to play in the broader Asian Pacific region. This article analyzes South Korea's increasing economic, political, and cultural links with the wider region, in particular with Southeast Asia, and its role in the development of Asian Pacific regionalism. Utilizing the concept of "middle power," it argues that, while clearly South Korea cannot ignore what is happening in its immediate geographical environment of North-east Asia, it does have the economic and political resources to enable it to take advantage of the opportunities for greater interactions with other parts of the Asian Pacific region, particularly Southeast Asia, if the political will exists.
DOI
10.1080/00927678.2014.910422
Print ISSN
00927678
E-ISSN
19401590
Funding Information
This article is prepared under the auspices of a research project funded by the Institute for Modern Korean Studies, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, whose support is gratefully acknowledged.
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2014 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Bridges, B. (2014). From ASPAC to EAS: South Korea and southeast Asia. Asian Affairs: An American Review, 41(2), 33-55. doi: 10.1080/00927678.2014.910422