What is Keeping South Korea from Joining US Missile Defense?: Analysis of Changes in South Korea's Missile Defense Policy

What is Keeping South Korea from Joining US Missile Defense?: Analysis of Changes in South Korea's Missile Defense Policy

This paper analyzed why South Korea has not joined the United States missile defense system for over 40 years. South Korea is geopolitically surrounded by powerful countries. The military technology of China, Japan, North Korea and Russia is outstanding. In particular, South Korea does not participate in the United States missile defense despite being constantly threatened by North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. This study focused on parts of Glenn H. Snyder's theory that received less attention in analyzing the reasons for South Korea's non-participation in missile defense in the ROK-US alliance. Snyder pointed out that powerful countries mainly fear being implicated in alliances and weak countries fear being abandoned by powerful countries. However, if we look at the case of South Korea's missile defense policy, we can see that even weak countries in alliances are strongly afraid of being involved. This study argues that not only powerful countries but also weak countries do not participate in missile defense for fear of being implicated. To analyze this, this study changed the four variables that Stephen M. Walt suggested as reasons for forming alliances into three. This study established three hypotheses using three variables changed by the author and derived that there was a causal relationship. It was proven by applying it to South Korea's missile defense case through a hypothesis using variables that modified the variables used in Walt's alliance theory. This study supplemented the lack of attention to existing international political theories and supported the argument with evidence. I looked at literature research, government records, interviews with key figures and secret and undisclosed Ministry of Foreign Affairs documents. As a study that provides important insight into pursuing future policies related to South Korea's missile defense, it can lead to policy changes in international politics.