Originally published 3 February 2021

This week, Veerle is joined by Professor Heung-Kyu Kim, founder and Director of the US-China Policy Institute and professor in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Ajou University, South Korea.

Veerle and Professor Kim explore why South Korea – a country that has not released an Indo-Pacific strategy – has been reluctant to adopt the concept. Professor Kim offers an insight into South Korea’s strategy of balancing between China, North Korea, Russia, and the United States. Notwithstanding this, there has been a gradual acceptance of the concept and strategies put forward by other countries, and further synergies between the Moon Jae-In government’s so-called New Southern Policy may be forged with the Biden Administration. Professor Kim also highlights South Korea’s view on the potential formation of new ‘alliances of democracies’ and reflects on South Korea’s invitation to join this year’s G7 Summit, to be hosted by the United Kingdom.