Korea Should Show Interest in Global Issues: Experts

“Standing on the doorsill of top nations, Korea should strengthen its status as a global player that provides public goods necessary for the world, while strengthening its manufacturing capabilities, at the same time.”

Distinguished scholars from the United States and experts on the Korean Peninsula all agree that Korea, facing the rapidly changing global environment, should set its national strategic goal as becoming one of the world’s 15 strongest powers and come up with action plans to achieve that goal immediately.

Commemorating its 88th anniversary, the Dong-A Ilbo conducted a series of interviews to see how Korea, a divided country, can overcome its geopolitical limits and turn itself into a more responsible global citizen and what strategies it needs to that end.

A total of eight interviewees include Joseph S. Nye, a professor of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government who set up national development strategies for the United States via his theory of “smart power,” and experts on the Korean Peninsula coming from Washington’s conservative and progressive think tanks.

The experts said, “Even though Korea is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the world’s 13th largest nation by GDP, it’s hard to say that the nation is one of the world’s 15 strongest nations in other sectors such as security, politics and culture. It should set up action plans to become one of the world’s 15 strongest nations.”

They pointed out that what Korea should do first is to throw away its negative image as an “unstable divided nation in Northeast Asia” and strengthen its influence in the global society.

Nye said, “A nation’s influence is determined by its capability to provide public goods for other nations and its determination to yield its influence beyond its border. Korea should further grow its capabilities and determination.”

Michael O’Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said, “To strengthen its status in the world, Korea should participate in peacekeeping operation in conflicted region and post-war reconstruction activities more proactively. Also, it should contribute to dealing with global issues such as global warming, nuclear proliferation, racial conflicts, war against terrorism and human rights.”

They also recommended that Korea should elevate its alliance with the United States to the level of “alliance of values” and strengthen its ties with neighboring nations like Japan and China using the U.S. link.

They explained that Korea is better positioned than Japan and China to draw support from the international community since it has neither invaded foreign nations nor been suspected of fighting for the hegemony in the region.

triplets@donga.com