Small Power, Big Ambition: South Korea's Role in Northeast Asian Security under President Roh Moo-hyun

Abstract

This article examines South Korea's role in Northeast Asian security under President Roh Moo-hyun by analyzing the background and initial outcomes of the "peace and prosperity" policy. Roh's foreign policy has achieved some positive results despite facing some serious challenges. For a small power such as South Korea to play a major role in world politics successfully, it must surmount several obstacles, the most critical being the building of domestic consensus and international support. The case of South Korea is significant because it not only enriches international relations theory on small states but also has policy implications: South Korea is important to resolving the security dilemma in Northeast Asia, and it offers lessons to other small states in their efforts to promote peace and stability in a world dominated by big powers.

Keywords:

• Korean Peninsula
• Roh Moo-hyun
• Northeast Asian security
• peace and prosperity
• South Korea
• U.S.-ROK relations