The Indo-Pacific region is an area of rapid development, comprising 65% of the world's population and 46% of international trade. It is home to the world's top economies, including the United States, China, and Japan, as well as seven of the eight fastest-growing markets, such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, which make up 60% of the global GDP.
The South China Sea is a crucial component of the Indo-Pacific, serving as a vital shipping route for goods and energy between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. It is a strategic focal point connecting the Pacific with the Indian Ocean. Disruptions to navigation activities in the region can pose a significant risk to the global supply chain, impacting the world economy and various countries.
South Korea has a significant interest in the Indo-Pacific, particularly the South China Sea, which accounts for 87% of the country's total import-export revenue and 67% of its import value. The region is also home to South Korea's top political and military cooperation partners, including those dealing with the problems of the Korean Peninsula, such as North Korea.
To play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific and safeguard its national interests, South Korea needs to have a stronger and more proactive voice in regional issues, including the South China Sea. It aims to ensure aviation and navigation in the sea and contribute to the implementation of international law, blocking any illegitimate claims of sovereignty in the region while keeping tensions from causing conflicts and adverse impacts on peace, stability, and trade activities.
South Korea's government has accelerated the implementation of the Strategy for Free, Peace, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific (IPS) to raise the country's role and position. It stresses the importance of building an international order based on international practices and rules, intensifying cooperation on traditional and non-traditional security, boosting navigation security cooperation based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), and accelerating the building of a multilateral security cooperation mechanism in the Indo-Pacific through strategic discussions at the East Asia Summit (EAS).
South Korea can further focus its investment to lead regional cooperation in climate change and energy security, using its strengths in science and technology and financial resources. It can support littoral countries, including those in Southeast Asia, to consolidate and broaden the cooperation network and mechanisms in the region.
Overall, South Korea's contributive diplomacy in settling regional problems, including the South China Sea issue, is an effective approach to rise in the Indo-Pacific and become a global key state.
