SOUTH KOREA ASSERTS NEW INDO PACIFIC STRATEGY ALIGNED FIRMLY WITH UNITED STATES STRATEGY

Significantly, South Korea's new President Yoon announced formally his nation's "Indo Pacific Strategy" which shed the strategic ambiguity of past Presidents, and in 2023, aligns South Korea more firmly with the United States Indo Pacific Security Strategy aimed at checkmating China's predatory instincts.

South Korea while stressing diplomatically that its strategy is all-inclusive and not aimed at any one country, however, in the enunciation of its core principles leaves no space for any ambiguities that the underlying sentiment is dealing with the threats that China is posing over the vast expanse of Indo Pacific.

The South Korean Indo Pacific Strategy emphasizes that South Korea subscribes to a 'Rules-based International Order' and opposes any moves by any nation to 'Change the existing regional order by use of Military Force'.

These two main principles picked out of the other principles indicates significantly South Korea's firm alignment with Strategic interests of United States and its Allies/ Strategic Partners subscribing to Indo Pacific security. The language is similar to that used by United States, Japan, Australia and India in diplomatic statements.

The intended target in these assertions is China and the China Threat that stands manifested from South China Sea to Senkaku Islands and the Korean Peninsula where China uses its nuclear proxy North Korea to destabilize security and stability in the region.

 Additionally, South Korea intends to reach-out diplomatically and strategically, in terms of bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral partnerships with countries of Indo Pacific sharing the two major principles enunciated in an earlier paragraph.

Special mention here is made of United States, Japan, Australia and India--- notably the QUAD partners.

South Korea already has a Mutual Security Treaty with the United States and hosts significant US Forward Military Presence at South Korean military bases.

In terms of 'Trilateral' security cooperation, it stands pointed out in an earlier Blog that with President Yoon assuming power in South Korea notable steps/ discussions are underway to forge a long-awaited US-Japan-South Korea Trilateral.

The South Korean pointer towards 'Multilateral' security partnerships is towards the QUAD. In a previous Blog, I had emphasized the imperatives to enlarge the QUAD to QUAD + 2 to include South Korea.

South Korea today is economically and a militarily vibrant nation. It has made tremendous strides from the 1980s when I was accredited to South Korea for four years while posted to a diplomatic military posting in Tokyo.

Accretion of South Korea to any Trilateral or Multilateral security arrangements in the region in Indo Pacific would be a substantial gain in military strength and combat potential. 

Other than China, which surely is going to be rattled by South Krea's unveiling of its Indo Pacific Strategy, all Major Nations of Indo Pacific will hail South Korea moving away from its 'strategic ambiguity' on China.

In Conclusion, two points need to be stressed and these are that South Korea should persist in the Indo Pacific Strategy enunciated, and secondly, that Major Nations of Indo Pacific should stand with South Korea as China applies economic screws as ripostes to South Korea firmly aligning itself with the United States & Allies/Strategic Partners.