Issue Recasting the North from an export market into an economic-security and supply-chain partner

Summary

The report argues that the northern region can no longer be viewed simply as a key market for maximizing exports. Instead Korea needs a fundamental shift toward seeing it as a space for strategic cooperation that builds supply chain stability for economic security and widens the circle of friendly states in an era of uncertainty. Central Asian states hold considerable potential in strategic minerals, energy and human resources, which could allow supply diversification that partly offsets China's dominance in resources such as rare earths, although apart from China and Russia these economies carry little weight globally. Working with trusted allies and partners, Korea should jointly build supply chains, protect strategic industries and reduce dependence on competitors such as China. Its diplomatic and security strategy should move beyond traditional military alliances to new networks in advanced technology, supply chain stability through strategic minerals and energy, cyber security and information sharing, and defense industry cooperation.