Prevailing geopolitical realities in Western Pacific do not equip South Korea to stand on wrong side of history of Indo Pacific Security 2021 given its historical record of a 'Front Line State' against Communist China's expansionist designs right since Korean War of 1950s and Communist China currently again displaying the same propensity with greater intensity.
Wsetern Pacific geopolitical environment in 2021 as a crucial sub-text of overall Indo Pacific Security construct currently presents a disturbing picture of Communist China establishing 'Full Spectrum dominance over South China Sea maritime expanse and air-space above it.
Needless to state that South China Sea is as vital for South Korea as it is vital for Japan in terms of sustaining the economies of both these Western Pacific 'economic power houses' of the Free World. The very survival of Japan and South Korea as Emerging Powers is dependeant on a 'Free & Open Indo Pacific' .
Japan is fully conscious and for decades has taken cognizance of the China Threat to Western Pacific so arising. Japan not only continues to be an enduring Ally since 1945 of the United States configured security architecture for the region in bilateral terms but also in multilateral terms as evident from its pivotal role in the QUAD comprising United States, Japan, India and Australia.
South Korea while equally continuing bilaterally as a US Ally in 2021, however, shirks or fights shy from any United States security initiatives for a multilateral security framework for Western Pacific comprising United States, Japan and South Korea.
South Korea notably gets inhibited in this direction for only one reason and that is because of Japan against which South Korea still bears a grudge of 'historical wrongs' of Japanese colonial role over South Korea from 1910-45 and allegations of use of South Korean 'comfort women' during Second World War.
Historically, by the same token, how has South Korea given a geopolitical go-by to Communist China which brutally overun South Korea in 1950 all the way to Pusan at the Southern tip of the Korean Peninsula.
Yet in the last decade or so South Korea's political leaders were cosying upto Communist China lured by Beijing's inducements of South Korean access to the vast Chinese market.
South Korea was recsued from a certain ChineseCommunist rule if United States had not made a massive and decisivemilitary intervention on the Korean Penisula with Japan unreservedly providing the military 'Firm Base' for US Armed Forces deployed to rescue South Korea.
Having been Military, Naval & AirAttache accredited to South Korea while posted in Tojyo, Japan and having had the privilege of witnesing the economic and military resurgence of South Korea in early 1980s and first hand interaction with South Korean Armed Forces including successive US-ROK TEAM SPIRIT Exercises then conducted on massive scale, it becomes unfathomable for me to witness South Korea riding in 'two geopolitcal boats'. Can South Korea strategically afford it in 2021 especially ?
To put it bluntly as an ardent well-wisher of both South Korea and Japan my blunt question to South Korean political leaders and policy establishment is that does South Korea really feel assured that in the event of Communist China blocking South China Sea to strangle Japan and prompt US Militaryy exit from Western Pacific. would Communist China makean honourable exception for South Korea in that event?
Therein lies the answer for South Korea to reset its policies on Communist China. South Korea needs to face the stark reality that it is Communist China that has aided North Korea to equip itself with Nuclear Weapons and delivery-means of IR BallisticMissiles endangering not only South Korean security but also security of the Indo Pacific as a region.
Before rounding off on the subject no one better than South Korea's first Militaryy ruler can be quoted . General Park who realised this truism fully and opted for masive Japanese economic investmens for South Korea's economic reconsruction much against domestic opposition with perceived wrongs against Japan still afresh.
South Korea's economic resurgence took place with Japnese investments and US security umbrella---- is a historical fact that South Korea can ill afford.
In the unfolding geopolitical threatening scenarios scripted by Communist China evident in 2021, South Korea can ill-afford to be on the wrong side of history, It must stand unitedly tall with United Sttes and Japan aginst the China Threat.
The future of Wesyern Pacific security against the China Threat lies intertwined in united responses by UnitedStates, Japan and notably South Korea
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