South Korean Diplomacy Between Domestic Challenges and Soft Power

6 Pages Posted: 14 Dec 2018

See all articles by Jan Melissen

Jan Melissen

Leiden University - Institute of Security and Global Affairs

Hwa-Jung Kim

Seoul National University

Date Written: August 27, 2018

Abstract

South Korean diplomacy abroad is constrained by peninsular concerns and, recovering from the national political trauma in 2016-17. Also, instructed by the presidential Blue House, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is focusing more on consultation with the domestic public than ever before. Considering the recent development in the country's diplomacy, little more than a year into the Moon Jae-in administration is a good time to take stock of how the South Korean government is dealing with key aspects of diplomatic modernization. In this regard, the aim of this paper is twofold: One is to examine the current state of South Korean diplomacy and its main issues while the other is to look into how the domestic challenges for the country's diplomacy paradoxically offer an unusal window for diplomatic innovation. To that end, the paper discusses societization of South Korean diplomacy and the country's diplomatic response to digitalization.

Keywords: Korea, soft power

Suggested Citation

Melissen, Jan and Kim, Hwa-Jung, South Korean Diplomacy Between Domestic Challenges and Soft Power (August 27, 2018). KIEP Research Paper, World Economy Brief 18-23, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3299389 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3299389

Jan Melissen (Contact Author)

Leiden University - Institute of Security and Global Affairs ( email )

Turfmarkt 99
The Hague, 2511DP
Netherlands

Hwa-Jung Kim

Seoul National University ( email )

Kwanak-gu
Seoul, 151-742
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

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