Issue Korea must secure chokepoint technologies by riding the hegemon's security strategy

Summary

The essay contends that science and technology as statecraft have long been both a cause of and a remedy for the hegemon's anxious security outlook, and that this is the essence of how the United States has met successive challengers for a century. Great powers today steer diplomacy through UN Security Council vetoes, wield military force through nuclear arms and dominate economies by weaponising resources, yet Korea currently holds none of these. Having paid tariffs as an entry fee in 2026, Korea faces the task of riding the hegemon's security strategy to obtain chokepoints in advanced science and technology. The author proposes an economy, security and innovation strategy framework and a control tower for technological superiority and supply-chain balance. Complementary measures include a national advanced-talent strategy, a cross-ministry brain-gain programme and strategic R&D projects.