History of Contemporary South Korean Diplomacy

Moving beyond the conventional view of diplomatic history as merely a record of treaty-making or the outcome of interstate interactions, this course examines how South Korea’s self-perception and perception of the other were formed within a global context. Furthermore, it explores how these perceptions have subsequently shaped the nation’s foreign policy formulation and diplomatic decision-making.

 

 

 

1. Understand that diplomatic choices are shaped not only by the international order or political interests, but also by perceptions of the self and the other.
2. Explore historically how South Korea has interpreted shifts in the international order and how its national identity was formed during these transitions.
3. Analyze how South Korea, as a divided state, monitored North Korean activities and continuously factored them into its diplomatic calculus.
4. Examine how South Korea, as a postcolonial state, perceived and engaged with other postcolonial nations.