CONCEPTUAL AND IDEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SOUTH KOREA'S POLICY IN CENTRAL ASIA

Abstract

The article examines the conceptual foundations of foreign policy strategies that underpin South Korea's cooperation with Central Asian countries. The political and economic significance of the Central Asian region is growing in the global arena. South Korea aims to establish its own distinct position in the region by utilizing foreign policy tools, including the 'Global Korea' strategy, providing official development assistance to Central Asian countries and implementing the 'New North Policy'. Nonetheless, the implementation of South Korea's foreign policy strategies concerning Central Asian countries is complicated by the dynamic nature of similar strategies employed by major regional players, including China, the United States, Japan, and Russia.

In both domestic and foreign science, the Central Asian region has not garnered the attention it deserves regarding the economic interests of the Republic of Korea. Analyzing South Korea's foreign policy strategies towards Central Asian countries reveals that, although these strategies have several positive aspects, there are also shortcomings in their implementation.

The authors conclude that South Korea has diversified its traditional relationships in recent years and made considerable efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with partners in Eurasia, aiming to leverage the resources available through the continental Eurasian partnership. The Republic of Korea perceives the Central Asian countries as a potential resource to countering China's influence in the Asian region, while also serving as a crucial counterbalance to Russia's position in the Eurasian continental policy.