[Citizen College Season 3] The rapidly changing international security situation and Korea’s diplomatic and security strategy

On November 22, 2019, the ninth lecture of the Citizen College Season 3 “Citizens and the World: Peace on the Korean Peninsula and International Politics” was given at Korea University’s  Political Science & Economics Bldg. 101. The ninth lecture was given by Lee Shin-hwa, a political science professor at Korea University.

Titled “The Changing International Security Situation and Korea’s Foreign Affairs and National Security Strategy,” the lecture was a time to learn about the expanding concept of security during the post-Cold War and to explore the international relations of Northeast Asian countries. There is still a strong sovereign state in the international community, along with fragmentation (conflict within the country, conflict with politicians, humanitarian crisis) and integration (global governance). Up until the Cold War, traditional wars between countries were mainly fought, but genocide, ethnic conflicts and humanitarian crises, including refugees, were brought to the surface. And 90 percent of the casualties from post-Cold War conflict are civilians (especially women and children). So, with the question of “for whom is security?” the perception that personal security should be a precondition for security instead of a traditional national security concept has spread, and the concept of human security has emerged as a major issue in the international community.

In Northeast Asia, the U.S. and China are competing for supremacy. The two countries are emphasizing their own interests and advocating nationalism. The U.S. stresses America First policy, while China emphasizes China’s dream. The U.S.-China rivalry has been an arms race, a technology race and a trade race, and is increasingly seen as a norm and a framing war.

North Korea quit the NPT in 1993 and has conducted a total of six nuclear tests since 2006. U.N. sanctions have been passed 12 times, including an arms embargo, freezing of funds and banning people involved in nuclear development from traveling abroad. U.N. resolutions are diversifying into detailed areas such as blocking resources (such as coal, steel, oil, etc.) and restricting maritime trade. Many scholars say the biggest international pressure on North Korea, such as the United Nations Security Council resolutions 2094 and 2270, has led to a change in Pyongyang’s behavior. In addition, North Korea has received much criticism for its human rights problem. Forty-one percent of the population suffers from food shortages, and North Korea has not implemented the U.N. Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations. The European Union has also named North Korea a case of human rights violations. The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has been challenged by the definition of “denuclearization” of South Korea, the United States and North Korea. It is also uncertain whether denuclearization negotiations will reopen and reach an agreement with North Korea, the United States facing the presidential election late next year, and South Korea ahead of next year’s general elections. The speaker stressed that South Korea cannot take the initiative in Northeast Asia, but it should still be able to speak out and make efforts to protect its security.