In an era of geopolitical restructuring, the two are bolstering pragmatic solidarity
As of 2025, the Indo-Pacific region stands at the heart of a strategic turning point, where the reconfiguration of the international order is accelerating. Strategic rivalry between the United States and China has expanded beyond geopolitical disputes to technology, economics, military capabilities, and values. The protracted Russia-Ukraine War and the heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait are also testing regional security networks.
South Korea is a representative middle power facing these complex challenges: it is exposed to China’s strategic expansion and pressure while maintaining a traditional alliance with the United States. With the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration, Seoul has declared “pragmatic diplomacy” as its new foreign policy principle. This approach seeks to secure diplomatic space and strategic autonomy through flexible, multilayered engagement based on national interest. It also represents an attempt to redesign South Korea’s national security architecture beyond a U.S.-dependent framework.
