North Korea’ s Missile Development and Its Impact on South Korea s Missile Development and the ROK-U.S. Alliance

This artide examines North Korea’s aggressive nuclear and missile development efforts and Seoul s response. By applying mediwn power theory, which is characteristically different from the widely (mis)used concept of middle power 1 explain South Korea’s foreign policy behaviors, focusing on its policy toward missìle development. South Korea abstained from developing long-range missiles tunκr the North Korean missi1e threat un비 2001. I interpret both South Korea s 10ng abstinence and its subsequent efforts to upgrade its missile capability as stratees dictated hy South Korea s dual identity: it is a medium power in a glob sense and yet a small state within the ∞ntext its region security situation. This aspect is critical to understanding 5eoul s security policy and the future of the ROK-U.s Alliance