This is the third in the series of articles evaluating the Lee Myung-bak administration’s foreign policy. ― Ed.


President Lee Myung-bak’s “Global Korea” policy has raised the nation’s profile in multinational diplomacy to reshape the global financial system, spread development and tackle climate change.

From Seoul’s hosting of the summit of the Group of 20 in 2010 to Songdo’s selection to host the Green Climate Fund this month, officials and experts hailed the Lee government’s achievement for turning the nation into a crucial stakeholder in the international order.

But its newfound diplomatic clout could be limited by the country’s geopolitical situation, including North Korea’s constant threat, China’s increasing assertiveness and the evolving alliance between South Korea and the U.S.

Experts cautioned that unless Korea develops its own agenda and secures enough political capital and soft power to push it forward, its outward diplomacy could go astray.

Since its inauguration in February 2008, the Lee government has sought to increase its international contributions in green growth, development, nuclear security and other areas through a multilateral network of cooperation.

With the strong backing from Washington, such diplomatic efforts have helped cement Korea’s position as a “middle-power” state mediating between great and smaller powers to coordinate a joint response to global challenges, analysts said.

“Through it (Global Korea), Lee implemented all the values espoused in the (Korea-U.S.) alliance ― democratic values, open markets, etc. ― through Korea’s foreign policies throughout the region and beyond,” said Balbina Hwang, political science professor at Georgetown University.

“This has had a tremendous impact on raising Korea’s impact and profile around the world.”

While searching for its strategic position, Seoul has apparently found its vision for the so-called niche diplomacy, which will help it “punch above its weight,” Nam Chang-hee, politics professor at Inha University, noted.

“From a realistic standpoint, Korea can hardly be a regional hegemonic power. Thus, the strategic choice is to capitalize on its geopolitical benefits and seek for a crucial role in multilateral cooperation,” he said.

Securing the right to house the head office of the U.N.―led climate fund has apparently bolstered Seoul’s environmental credentials, which will help the country have a greater say in the formation of international rules and discourse on the issue, observers said.

Seeking to develop green technologies and related industries into a new growth engine, Lee had made all-out efforts to spearhead the fund, which was launched in 2011 to help fight climate change by funneling money from developed countries to developing ones.

Seoul’s recent success in returning to the U.N. Security Council as a non-permanent member for the years 2013-14, after some 15 years, has further brightened the prospect of the country’s diplomatic role.

The election to the key U.N. organ comes as Seoul seeks to play an active role in such efforts as curbing nuclear proliferation, piracy off the Somali coast and other activities that threaten regional and global peace.

Seoul’s hosting of the Nuclear Security Summit in March was another chance to strengthen its diplomatic credentials.

Experts said during the premier forum, Seoul played a crucial part in leading the agenda for anti-nuclear terrorism and bringing the international community a step closer to forging a new security regime.

The summit was launched under the Obama administration’s initiatives to jointly tackle nuclear security challenges. It focused on preventing nuclear, radioactive materials from falling into the hands of non-state actors such as terrorists.

During the G20 summit in Seoul two years ago, South Korea forged a fresh image as part of the economic agenda setters, which apparently helped dilute the “Korea discount” associated with the country’s geopolitical risks.

At the summit held at a time of global financial challenges, Seoul stressed its vision of addressing poverty in underdeveloped countries and reducing the world’s development gaps in its pursuit of a “fair economic order.”

Highlighting Seoul’s dramatic transition to a donor state from a recipient of international aid, Seoul also hosted the 4th High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan last year.

Seoul gained official membership to the Development Assistance Committee ― a club of major donors in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ― in January 2010.

The improvement in Seoul’s diplomatic influence is also due in part to its growing attention to public diplomacy ― state-subsidized programs to influence public opinion overseas ― and the popularity of Korean pop culture, recently fanned by rapper Psy’s viral number, “Gangnam Style.”

Such enhanced diplomatic influence, after all, indicates that Korea’s so-called soft power has been enhanced. Contrary to “hard power” based on economic and military strength, “soft power,” a term coined by Joseph Nye of Harvard University, is based on intangible influences such as culture and values.

“Though it is somewhat difficult for people to feel the immediate effect (of soft power) right away, there are many benefits in terms of broader, long-term national interests should it be accumulated over time,” said Kim Tae-hyun, political science professor at Chung-Ang University.

Some skeptics, however, argue that Korea should make more efforts to strengthen its hard power at the time of security uncertainties in East Asia.

They also pointed out that Seoul’s enhanced diplomatic standing was possible as Washington has sought to share its security and economic burden with its allies and partners, particularly on marginal issues, while maintaining its global preponderance.

“After all, Seoul has shared some of the burden in a multilateral cooperative mechanism fostered by the U.S., which has struggled to maintain its supremacy in the uni-polar system amid its relative decline compared with China’s emergence as an economic and military power,” a security expert said, declining to be named.

“Korea’s global influence could be affected should America’s leadership decline amid security challenges in East Asia and the Middle East.”

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)