[특집] 동북아 안보와 미ㆍ일의 전략

The U.S-Japanese strategy for securiey of NㆍEㆍAsia

Since the end of the cold war the security situation in Northeast Asia has become more complicated. Although the U. S. still wants to maintain a military presence in Northeast Asia, China does not want such involvement and is consistently calling for the U.S. to withdraw from the region. With the fall of the U.S.S.R. and the bipolar system with it, the U.S. presence has become less meaningful as well as less justifiable domestically, with many in the U. S. calling for a military draw down and pull out from places far from home such as Northeast Asia, Even though North Korea gave up its nuclear weapons project it still produces long-range missiles. Japan has become increasingly concerned about its national security interests after the cold war with the Japanese archipelago being within the range of North Korean missiles and as China has been rising fast while investing lots of money for its military build-up and its pursuit of hegemonic power in the region. With the end of the bipolar system and China's developing its military potential. the situation in Northeast Asia has become very complicated and unstable. Take for example the spratley Islands, where there is potential for mining petroleum, there is a great possibility of aconflict erupting between China and Japan. In light of this very volatile situation, it is essential that some kind of organizstion for regional security in Northeast Asia Asia be established. But because of conflicting national interests in the area we need first to establish confidence-building measures to prevent conflict and preserve peace and stability in the area. Without such arrangements and an organization devoted to regional security, peace and security in the region cannot be guaranteed.