The Republic of Korea and Its Navy: Perceptions of Security and the Utility of Seapower

Abstract

Understanding the development of Republic of Korea (ROK) seapower is central in exploring the evolution and nature of its security consciousness. This article aims to examine how the wider East Asian maritime sphere has influenced ROK perceptions of its own security and how such perceptions have come into conflict with the needs of maintaining its deterrent capabilities within the peninsular context. In doing so it concludes that for the ROK seapower has been an expression of wider engagement and international developing security concerns but that it is curtailed and influenced by the realities of the threat from the North.

Key Words:

• Republic of Korea Security
• Seapower
• Asian Naval Development
• Republic of Korea Navy
• Naval Strategy
• Asian Maritime Security

Notes

¹ This article is based in part on a PhD written by the author. Ian Bowers, ‘The Creation of the Modern Republic of Korea Navy’, Unpublished PhD, King’s College London, 2013.

² Michael J. Seth, A History of Korea from Antiquity to the Present [Kindle Edition], (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield 2011), 66.

³ Seong-yong Park, ‘The Development of the Republic of Korea Navy in a Changing National Defense and Northeast Asian Security Environment’, Doctoral Dissertation, Univ. of Salford, UK, 2009, 2.

⁴ Kyoung-ho Shin and Paul S. Ciccantell, ‘The Steel and Shipbuilding Industries of South Korea: Rising East Asia and Globalisation’, American Sociological Association 15/2 (2009), 167–192, at 181.

⁵ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, Report of the Regional Seminar on Liberalisation of Maritime Transport Services under WTO GATS (New York: United Nations 2002), 97.

⁶ Song Ji-sun, ‘7 Out of the World’s Top Ten Shipyards in Korea’, Arirang News, 26 Jan. 2012, < www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=125261&code=Ne4&category=3 >.

⁷ Republic of Korea Navy, As Anyone Can Know! Look Inside Naval Operations [누구나 알 수 있는! 해군작전 들여다보기], (Seoul: Republic of Korea Navy 2011), 10.

⁸ US Energy Information Administration, Korea South (Nov. 2011), <www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=KS>

⁹ Michael McDevitt, Workshop Report: The Future of ROK Navy-US Navy Cooperation, (Alexandria, VA: Center for Naval Analysis 2007), 3.

¹⁰ Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profiles Republic of Korea (Jan. 2012), <www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/FI-CP_KR/en>.

¹¹ Korea National Oil Company, Operations E&P Worldwide Korea (March 2012), <www.knoc.co.kr/ENG/sub03/sub03_1_1_4.j>.

¹² Ibid.

¹³ Young-joo Cho, ‘The Naval Policy of the Republic of Korea: From the Beginnings to the Twenty-First Century’, Doctoral Dissertation, University of Hull, UK, 2003, 252.

¹⁴ Lee, Choon-kun, ‘Roles and Missions in the Post Cold War & EEZ Era’, in Lee, Choon-kun (ed.), The Middle Power Navies (Seoul: KIMS 1999), 167-94, at 187.

¹⁵ Ibid.

¹⁶ Cho, ‘The Naval Policy of the Republic of Korea’, 237.

¹⁷ Ministry of National Defense, Defense White Paper 1994–95, (Seoul: Korea Institute of Defense Analysis 1995), 19.

¹⁸ The sunshine policy was aimed at breaking what the Kim government believed to be an unsuccessful and unproductive policy of containment. Long term engagement through economic incentivisation and political reciprocity backed by what was described during the administration as a ‘firm defense posture’ was central to the new policy. Founded on what could be described as an increasing confidence in its superiority, the South repeatedly pronounced that it would not strive to undermine or absorb the North which was a significant step in allaying North Korean fears. While not having a huge impact on overall defence posture during this administration it is indicative of its reformist attitude a willingness to attempt new untried policy initiatives and provided a background for future for planning under the Roh, Moo-hyun government. See Samuel S. Kim, The Two Koreas and the Great Powers (New York: Cambridge UP 2006), 320–1. Ian Bowers, ‘The Republic of Korea Navy – A “Big” Small Navy’, in Ian Speller (ed.), Small Navies: Strategy and Policy for Small Navies in War and Peace (London: Ashgate 2014).

¹⁹ For evidence of this policy see: Soon-young Hang, ‘Foreign Policy Agenda of the Republic of Korea in the New Century’, speech given at the Graduate School of International Studies: Korea University (11 Dec. 1998), <www.mofat.go.kr> and Roh, Moo-hyun, Address at the 40th Commencement and Commissioning Ceremony of the Third Korea Military Academy, 22 March 2005, <www.16cwd.pa.go.kr>.

²⁰ Sang-hoon Park, ‘Korea’s Security Policy’, Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security Review 4/3 (1996), 7.

²¹ Sang-hee Lee, ‘Korea’s Role in Global Security Defence Policy in Times of Uncertainty’, Military Technology (Oct. 2009), 12.

²² Ministry of National Defense, 2004 Defense White Paper (Seoul: Ministry of National Defense 2004), 16.

²³ Ministry of National Defense, 2008 Defense White Paper (Seoul: Ministry of National Defense 2008), 17.

²⁴ ROKN CNO Latest Activities, ROK CNO Inauguration Address (2007), <www.navy.mil.kr/english/>.

²⁵ Ministry of National Defense, 2012 Defense White Paper (Seoul: Ministry of National Defense 2012), 60.

²⁶ ‘Korea to Boost Naval Capacity Amid Regional Arms Race’, The Chosun Ilbo, 19 Oct. 2012, <http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/19/2012101901215.htm>.

²⁷ Republic of Korea Navy, Republic of Korea Navy [대한민국 해군], E-book, 56, <www.navy.mil.kr>.

²⁸ McDevitt, Workshop Report, 3.

²⁹ Ibid.

³⁰ Ibid.

³¹ Republic of Korea Navy, South Korea’s Lifeline’ Defend the Navy’s Forward Bases (2005)<‘한국의 생명선’ 지킬 해군 전진기지>, Retrieved from Republic of Korea Navy’s inews website, <http://navy.korea.kr/gonews/branch.do?act=detailView&dataId=70068460&sectionId=p_sec_1&type=news&currPage=30&flComment=1&flReply=0>.

³² Ministry of National Defense, 1998 Defense White Paper (Seoul: Ministry of National Defense 1999), 25.

³³ Author interview with Former CNO Admiral An, Byeong-tae and Rep. Park Jin.

³⁴ Republic of Korea Navy, As Anyone Can Know!, 12.

³⁵ Republic of Korea Navy, Navy Vision 2030 [해군 비전] (Gyeryong-dae: Republic of Korea Navy 2008), 16.

³⁶ See Ian Bowers, ‘South Korea’, in Chiyuki Aoi and Yee Kuang Heng (eds) Asia-Pacific Nations in International Peace Support and Stability Missions (New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2014).

³⁷ The term imperial style presidency refers to the political system in South Korea, where much decision- making power is held in the hands of the president with little oversight from the national assembly. See: Hyug, Baeg-im, ‘Faltering Democratic Consolidation in South Korea: Democracy at the End of the “Three Kims” Era’, Democratization 11/5 (2004), 179–98.

³⁸ Author Interview with Rep. Park Jin.

³⁹ Author Interview with Admiral An, Byeong-tae.

⁴⁰ Office of the President of the Republic of Korea, Government of the People: Selected Speeches of Kim, Dae-jung Vol. II (Seoul: Office of the President of the Republic of Korea 1999), 31–4.

⁴¹ Office of the President of the Republic of Korea, Government of the People: Selected Speeches of Kim, Dae-jung Vol. III (Seoul: Office of the President of the Republic of Korea 2002), 71–4.

⁴² Traditionally Presidents have made their naval policies known at Naval Academy Commencement Ceremonies making these speeches important tools with which to deduce South Korean intentions.

⁴³ Roh, Moo-hyun, Address by President Roh Moo-hyun at the 57th Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony of the Korean Naval Academy (2003), <www.16cwd.pa.go.kr>.

⁴⁴ Roh, Moo-hyun, President Celebrates Aegis Destroyer Launch (2007), <www.16cwd.pa.go.kr>.

⁴⁵ Republic of Korea Navy, As Anyone Can Know!, 54.

⁴⁶ Ministry of National Defense, 2012 Defense White Paper (Seoul: Ministry of National Defense 2012), 59.

⁴⁷ ‘Korea to Boost Naval Capacity Amid Regional Arms Race’, The Chosun Ilbo, 19 Oct. 2012, <http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/19/2012101901215.htm>.

⁴⁸ Son, Sang-ho, ‘Navy pushes blue-water operations’, The Korea Herald, 7 Feb. 2013, <http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130207000954>.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ian Bowers

Ian Bowers is a Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, Asian Security Studies Centre.