South Korea and the Arctic Region

Abstract

The Arctic today is characterized by a complex set of economic, political, and societal dynamics connecting actors both within and outside of the region. South Korea is sometimes referred to as a ‘latecomer’ to the arena of Arctic affairs. Nevertheless, it has made great strides in the past 15 years to make up for this ‘deficiency’. It opened an Arctic research station and established an Arctic scientific research program, constructed its own icebreaker, became an observer to the Arctic Council, and built an extensive bilateral network with Arctic states. Moreover, South Korea became the first Asian nation to publish an Arctic policy master plan. The country has several domestic actors with interests in the Arctic region such as the central and provincial governments, academics, and the private sector. As such, this paper examines South Korea’s activities and interests in the Arctic region. Further, it looks at the placement of the Arctic region within South Korea’s foreign policy, especially its ‘Eurasia Initiative’, and the specific roles the country could play in the Arctic governance structure.