Defining and conceptualizing Northeast Asia’s security complex poses unique quandaries. The security architecture in Northeast Asia to date has been predominately U.S.-dominated bilateral alliances, weak institutional structures and the current Six Party Talks dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue. There has been a distinct lack of desire among regional countries as well as the U.S. to follow in the footsteps of Europe with its robust set of multilateral institutions. However, since the late 1990s, there has been burgeoning interest among regional states towards forming new multilateral institutions as well as reforming and revitalizing existing mechanisms. Much of this effort has been in the economic and political arenas, with the creation of bodies such as the East Asian Summit, but there have also been important initiatives in the security sphere.

This book offers detailed examinations about how this potentially tense region of the world is redefining certain longstanding national interests, and shows how this shift is the result of changing power relations, the desire to protect hard-won economic gains, as well as growing trust in new processes designed to foster regional cooperation over regional conflict.

Presenting new and timely research on topics that are vital to the security future of one of the world’s most important geographical regions, this book will be of great value to students and scholars of Asian politics, regionalism, international politics and security studies.

This book offers detailed examinations about how this potentially tense region of the world is redefining certain longstanding national interests, and shows how this shift is the result of changing power relations, the desire to protect hard-won economic gains, as well as growing trust in new processes designed to foster regional cooperation over regional conflict.

Presenting new and timely research on topics that are vital to the security future of one of the world’s most important geographical regions, this book will be of great value to students and scholars of Asian politics, regionalism, international politics and security studies.

Part 1:The Northeast Asian Security Complex 1. The Northeast Asian Security Complex: History, Power, and Strategic ChoicesChung Min Lee and T.J. Pempel 2. The Requirements for Security Cooperation in Northeast Asia: Theory and Reality Ajin Choi Part 2: Security Challenges, Drivers, and Issues 3. Nuclear Weapons, State Bellicosity, and Prospects for an East Asian Security Architecture Joseph M. Grieco 4. Between Multilateralism and Bilateralism Geunwook Lee Part3: State Interests and Strategies 5. European Experience and Lessons Hae-Won Jun 6. China’s Strategic Option: Multilateralism and the Pursuit of Influence Sukhee Han and Luo Jianbo 7. What is a ‘Liberal’ East Asia Policy? Japan and the DPJ GovernmentYoko Iwama 8. ROK: Toward Peace and CooperationHyung Min Kim 9. Leadership and Commitment: The United States, Its Allies, and Emerging Security Institutions in Northeast Asia Carol Atkinson and Giacomo Chiozza Part 4: Actualizing Security Cooperation and Its Future 10. The Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue: An Experiment in Track II Multilateral Diplomacy Susan L. Shirk 11. Conclusion T.J. Pempel