The role of identity in South Korea’s policies towards Japan

Minseon Ku

The role of identity in South Korea’s policies towards Japan

Korean Social Science Journal
Abbr : KSSJ
2016, 43(2), pp.75~94
Publisher : Korean Social Science Research Council
Research Area : Social Science > Social Science in general
Published : December 1, 2016

Minseon Ku ¹

¹연세대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper asks why South Korea’s relations with Japan is so vulnerable to disputes over history in the post-Cold War period. It argues that South Korea’s identities vis-a`-vis Japan and North Korea respectively conflict with each other and leads to inconsistent policy towards Japan that hovers between cooperation and discord. By analyzing South Korea’s relations with Japan as well as its policies and behavior in the post-Cold War period, this paper aims to show how identity factor affects a state’s foreign policy and behavior towards other states. In doing so, it questions the rationality assumption of state behavior in IR and offers alternative explanations on how to better understand ‘‘emotional’’ foreign policies.

KEYWORDS

Identity Foreign policy Ontological security Constructivism

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2024 are currently being built.

[book] Becker, D. J. / 2014 / Memory and trauma in international relations: Theories, cases and debates / Routledge : 57~73

[journal] Youngshik Bong / 2004 / Thinking Outside the Box: Asking the Tokdo Question Using Theories and Comparisons / Korea Observer / 한국학술연구원 35(1) : 63~86

[web] Brown, K. / 2013 / Chinese diplomacy with emotional characteristics / The Diplomat / http://thediplomat.com/2013/08/chinese-diplomacy-withemotional-characteristics/

[book] Burke, P. J. / 2009 / Identity theory / Oxford University Press

[journal] Emma Campbell / 2011 / Changing South Korea: Issues of Identity and Reunification in Formulating the Australia-Korea Security Policy, Foreign Policy, and Wider Relationship / Korea Observer / 한국학술연구원 42(1) : 117~143

[book] Cha, V. / 1999 / Alignment despite antagonism: The United States-Korea-Japan security triangle / Stanford University Press

[journal] 최종건 / 2010 / SUNSHINE OVER A BARREN SOIL: THE DOMESTIC POLITICS OF ENGAGEMENT IDENTITY FORMATION IN SOUTH KOREA / Asian Perspective / 극동문제연구소 34(4) : 115~138

[web] / 1987 / Constitution of the Republic of Korea / http://www.law.go.kr/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=61603&urlMode=engLsInfoR&viewCls=engLsInfoR#0000

[journal] Dittmer, L. / 1981 / The strategic triangle : An elementary game-theoretical analysis / World Politics 33(4) : 485~515

[journal] Flamm, P. / 2015 / Outgrowing the predicament? / National Identity and Seoul’s Dokdo Policy Pacific Focus 30(2) : 200~222

[book] Glosserman, B. / 2015 / The Japan-South Korea identity clash: East Asian security and the United States / Columbia University Press

[other] Hankook Ilbo / 2010 / Public Opinion Poll ‘Hatoyama Administration No Different’ Only 18% Trust Japan

[other] Hankook Ilbo / 2010 / Public Opinion Poll ‘61% of Koreans Prefer Dialogue, 58% of Japanese Prefer Pressure in North Korean Nuclear Issue

[other] Hankyoreh. / 2008 / Full text of Lee’s inaugural speech / CNA

[web] Herald Economy / 2005 / Government and Opposition Parties Unify Criticisms Against Takeshima Day / http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=100&oid=016&aid=0000166210

[journal] Shale Horowitz / 2016 / South Korea and Japan since World War II: Between Ideological Discord and Pragmatic Cooperation / Pacific Focus / 국제관계연구소 31(1) : 79~99

[book] Jo, D. / 2010 / South Korean foreign policy: History and problems / Sahoepyongron : 56~81

[report] Kazuyo, O. / 2004 / The relations of Korea and Japan as represented by a legend : 1~7

[journal] Hosup Kim / 2011 / Role of Political Leadership in the Formation of Korea-Japan Relations in the Post–Cold War Era / Asian Perspective / 극동문제연구소 35(1) : 111~134

[journal] 김지영 / 2014 / Escaping the Vicious Cycle: Symbolic Politics and History Disputes Between South Korea and Japan / Asian Perspective / 극동문제연구소 38(1) : 31~60

[book] Kim, Y. / 2015 / History of Korea-Japan relations 1965–2015: II economy / Yoksagonggan

[book] Kimura, K. / 2011 / Changing power relations in Northeast Asia: Implications for relations between Japan and South Korea / Routledge

[journal] Ku, M. / 2015 / Rational emotions: The role of identity and emotions in Dokdo/Takeshima dispute between South Korea and Japan / EPIK Journals Online 6(2) : 1~22

[book] Lee, C. / 1985 / Japan and Korea: The political dimension / Hoover Institution Press

[book] Lee, W. / 2006 / What is Japan to Korea? / Hanwool Academy

[book] Lee, W. / 2015 / History of Korea-Japan relations, 1965–2015: Volume I politics / Yoksa Gonggan : 12~27

[journal] Lowenheim, O. / 2008 / Revenge in international politics / Security Studies 17(4) : 685~724

[journal] Mercer, J. / 1995 / Anarchy and identity / International Organization 49(2) : 229~252

[book] Midford, P. / 2011 / Changing power relations in Northeast Asia: Implications for relations between Japan and South Korea / Routledge

[web] Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea / 2006 / Special message by President Roh Moo-hyun on Korea-Japan relations / MOFA website / http://www.mofa.go.kr/webmodule/htsboard/template/read/korboardread.jsp?typeID=12&boardid=514&seqno=304487

[journal] Mitzen, J. / 2006 / Ontological security in world politics / European Journal of International Relations 12(3) : 341~370

[thesis] 大津遙奈 / 2014 / Patterns of escalation in historical and territorial disputes in Japan-ROK relations / 석사 / 서울대학교 국제대학원

[journal] 오니시 유타카 / 2015 / Cooperating the Local Governments between Korea and Japan: The Strategy of Sister City Partnership / 한국과 국제정치 / 극동문제연구소 31(1) : 151~182

[journal] 박창건 / 2008 / A Study on Norms Diffusion of the Korea-Japan Conflict over the Territorial Problem : Focusing on the Declaration of “Dakeshima Day” and “Daemado Day” / 국제정치논총 / 한국국제정치학회 48(4) : 357~380

[journal] Park, C. H. / 2009 / The pattern of cooperation and conflict between Korea and Japan: Theoretical expectations and empirical realities / Japanese Journal of Political Science 10(3) : 247~265

[web] Pollmann, M. / 2015 / The troubled Japan-South Korea relationship / The Diplomat website / http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/the-troubled-japan-south-korearelationship/?allpages=yes&print=yes

[other] Presidential Blue House / 2009 / Global Korea: The national security strategy of the Republic of Korea / Cheong wa dae

[book] Robertson, J. / 2016 / Diplomatic style and foreign policy: A case study of South Korea / Routledge

[book] Rozman, G. / 2013 / National identities and bilateral relations: Widening gaps in East Asia and Chinese demonization of the United States / Stanford University Press

[journal] Ruggie, J. G. / 1993 / Territoriality and beyond: Problematizing modernity in international relations / International Organization 47(1) : 139~174

[thesis] Ryu, Y. / 2011 / Identity and security: Identity distance theory and regional affairs in Northeast and Southeast Asia / Doctor / Harvard University.

[book] Schilling, C. L. / 2015 / Emotional state theory: Friendship and fear in Israeli foreign policy / Lexington Books

[book] Shin, G. -W. / 2006 / Ethnic nationalism in Korea: Genealogy, politics, and legacy / Stanford University Press

[journal] Shin, G. -W. / 2012 / Identity politics and policy disputes in U.S.-Korea relations / Political Science Quarterly 127(2) : 289~310

[journal] Shin, S. / 2013 / Engagement? containment? The role of identity in the formation of South Korea’s policy toward Pyongyang / North Korean Review 9(1) : 83~99

[journal] Bhubhindar Singh / 2015 / Beyond Identity and Domestic Politics: Stability in South Korea-Japan Relations / The Korean Journal of Defense Analysis / 한국국방연구원 27(1) : 21~39

[book] Smith, A. / 1991 / National identity / University of Nevada Press

[book] Steele, B. / 2008 / Ontological security in international relations / Routledge

[journal] Stets, J. E. / 2012 / Current emotion research in sociology : Advances in the discipline / Emotion Review 4(3) : 326~334

[journal] Stets, J. E. / 2005 / New directions in identity control theory / Advances in Group Process 22 : 326~334

[book] Tamaki, T. / 2010 / Deconstructing Japan’s image of South Korea: Identity in foreign policy / Palgrave Macmillan

[book] Wendt, A. / 1999 / Social theory of international politics / Cambridge University Press

[journal] 양기웅 / 2008 / SOUTH KOREA-JAPAN’S FRICTIONS OVER HISTORY: A LINGUISTIC CONSTRUCTIVIST READING / Asian Perspective / 극동문제연구소 32(3) : 59~86

[journal] 양기웅 / 2013 / The Structure of Disputes over Dokdo/Takeshima: the interaction of power balances and policy preference / 일본연구논총 / 현대일본학회 (37) : 205~239

[other] Yonhap News / 2000 / President Kim ‘Cooperation with Japan necessary for North-South Korea Development’

[other] Yonhap News / 2006 / Blue house, ‘Japan Shows Expansionist Tendency

[web] Yonhap News / 2015 / Kim Young-sam Era: 7. Hardline policy towards Japan / http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2015/11/22/0200000000AKR20151122032500014.HTML

KJCKorea
Journal Central

Korean Social Science Journal 2024 KCI Impact Factor : 0.0