Issue Widening Korea's circle of friendly states beyond value-sharing partners

Summary

For the medium to long term the report recommends that Korea set longer-term and more complex core goals for its external strategy in Eurasia. Rather than asking only whether a country shares Korea's values, Korea should aim to expand the range of friendly states as far as possible. It should also leave the positive impression that it is not pursuing narrow self-interest but seeking common global interests, drawing on its strengths in climate change, technology cooperation, human resource development and a new model of solidarity among middle-income countries. Korea should combine its geostrategic location with its standing inside the camp of democracies, using the fact that it borders US competitors or adversaries as a strategic asset in both alliance and value terms. The authors recall that Korea borders Russia and China on the Eurasian landmass and faces Japan, a democratic market-economy power, across the sea.