With the inauguration of South Korea’s new president, Lee Myung-bak, Korea’s China
policy is changing. Replacing the policy of tilting toward China pursued by his
predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun, President Lee instead suggests a policy of hedging toward
China. In general, the policy of hedging is composed of two different approaches,
engagement and balancing. President Lee’s twin hedging emphasizes deep engagement
and soft balancing toward China. The basic rationale of the Republic of Korea (the
ROK) is to adopt the policy of twin hedging as it needs both great powers, the United
States and China, for its strategic stability and economic prosperity. For the successful
implementation of the twin hedging policy, the South Korean government, as a way to
deepen the economic engagement, has to precipitate and expand the economic
cooperation between the ROK and China. Simultaneously, it has to strengthen the
U.S. Korean alliance as a mode of soft balancing. For the United States, the diplomatic
shift of Lee Myung-bak to the policy of twin hedging is, of course, a welcome
development. But China seems to feel uncomfortable with this. Although China cannot
object to the reinforcement of the U.S. Korean alliance, however, it is beginning to feel
concerned about a potential strategic coalition between the United States and the ROK
on the sensitive issues, including Seoul’s participation in the Missile Defense System and
Proliferation Security Initiative, the ROK’s shift of its North Korean policies
unfavorable to China, and the shift of conditions and roles of the American troops
stationed in Korea. The success of the policy of twin hedging toward China depends on
how carefully and competently the Lee Myung-bak administration convinces the
Chinese government of the ROK’s strategic necessity for the hedging policy.
With the inauguration of South Korea’s new president, Lee Myung-bak, Korea’s China
policy is changing. Replacing the policy of tilting toward China pursued by his
predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun, President Lee instead suggests a policy of hedging toward
China. In general, the policy of hedging is composed of two different approaches,
engagement and balancing. President Lee’s twin hedging emphasizes deep engagement
and soft balancing toward China. The basic rationale of the Republic of Korea (the
ROK) is to adopt the policy of twin hedging as it needs both great powers, the United
States and China, for its strategic stability and economic prosperity. For the successful
implementation of the twin hedging policy, the South Korean government, as a way to
deepen the economic engagement, has to precipitate and expand the economic
cooperation between the ROK and China. Simultaneously, it has to strengthen the
U.S. Korean alliance as a mode of soft balancing. For the United States, the diplomatic
shift of Lee Myung-bak to the policy of twin hedging is, of course, a welcome
development. But China seems to feel uncomfortable with this. Although China cannot
object to the reinforcement of the U.S. Korean alliance, however, it is beginning to feel
concerned about a potential strategic coalition between the United States and the ROK
on the sensitive issues, including Seoul’s participation in the Missile Defense System and
Proliferation Security Initiative, the ROK’s shift of its North Korean policies
unfavorable to China, and the shift of conditions and roles of the American troops
stationed in Korea. The success of the policy of twin hedging toward China depends on
how carefully and competently the Lee Myung-bak administration convinces the
Chinese government of the ROK’s strategic necessity for the hedging policy.