Bringing together an international line up of contributors, this book examines South Korea’s foreign policy strategies designed to cope with the challenges of the post-Cold War regional order and the emergence of a "Korean paradox".

Focusing on non-material factors in shaping the decision-making processes of primary actors, such as traditions, beliefs, and identities, this book begins by analysing the emergence of the "Asian Paradox" and explores how different political traditions have influenced South Korea’s foreign and security policies. In the second part (from Chapter 4), this book goes on to deal directly with the key issues in South Korea’s foreign policy today, with an emphasis on the progressive and conservative approaches to the challenges the country faces. This includes the North Korean threat, the alliance with the U.S., relations with China and Russia, the complicated relationship with Japan, and the emerging role of South Korea outside of Northeast Asia.

An innovative study of the domestic sources of South Korean foreign policy, The Korean Paradox investigates South Korea’s growing role at both regional and global levels. As such, it will be useful to students and scholars of Korean Studies, International Relations and East Asian Studies more generally.

Bringing together an international line up of contributors, this book examines South Korea’s foreign policy strategies designed to cope with the challenges of the post-Cold War regional order. Caught between economic interdependence with China and a security alliance with the US, it thus analyses the emergence of a ‘Korean paradox’.

1.Interpreting South Korea’s foreign and security policy under the 'Asian paradox', Marco Milani, Antonio Fiori and Matteo Dian 2. The dynamics of democratized South Korean foreign policy in the post-Cold War era, Sangsoo Lee 3. The impact of political alternation on South Korea’s foreign policy, Marco Milani and Antonio Fiori 4.Progressive and Conservative visions of Inter-Korean relations, Marco Milani 5. South Korea, partisan politicsand the United States, David C. Kang 6. Conservative and progressives' stance on China and impact on South Korea-China relations, Jaewoo Choo 7. United we stand? South Korea-China economic relations and the political (non-)divide, Ramon Pacheco Pardo 8. South Korea-Japan relations: the Comfort Women lens', Brad Glosserman 9. South Korea-Russia relations, Anna Kireeva 10. Crossing Boundaries: South Korea’s global diplomacy outside Northeast Asia, Antonio Fiori, Kevin Gray, Soyeun Kim and Andrea Passeri 11. Conclusion, Marco Milani, Matteo Dian andAntonio Fiori