The Economy Security Nexus In Northeast Asia

The dynamics of Northeast Asia have traditionally been considered primarily in military and hard security terms, however relations among the states of Northeast Asia are far more comprehensible when the interactions between economics and security are considered simultaneously. This book examines the conditions under which economics and security interact with each other in mutually shaping ways, and these interactions pose key empirical questions, the answers to which have important lessons for international relations more broadly beyond Northeast Asia.

While, over the last 30 years, the global economy's center of gravity has shifted to East Asia, the region has remained surprisingly free of interstate military conflict. Yet this era of peace and growth has been punctuated by periodic reminders of enduring security problems in the region—from China's military modernization, to unresolved territorial disputes, to persistent tensions on the Korean peninsula. This volume is one of the first to treat these issues of economics and security as interconnected rather than separate. Its authors—leading scholars from the U.S. and China—shed new light on this important nexus by applying insights from a rich variety of approaches to explore and explain the dynamics of a region whose importance for students of both international political economy and international security has grown dramatically. They show that both economic and security 'fundamentals' matter if one is to understand the reasons for, and evaluate the durability of, East Asia's recent peace and prosperity.

This book explores the progress in and the obstacles surrounding developing comprehensive security cooperation between Russia and South Korea since diplomatic relations were established in 1991 within the framework of economic security. The book focuses on oil and natural gas projects, linking the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Korean Railroads, industrial development in the Nakhodka Free Economic Zone, fishery cooperation, and the arms trade, and examines whether these five aspects of cooperation serve to contribute to building Russian-South Korean bilateral and regional economic security. The author argues that these five aspects of cooperation all have the potential to enhance comprehensive bilateral security and further regional economic security in Northeast Asia. However, Russian-South Korean economic cooperation has been hampered by a number of obstacles, including domestic factors as well as external factors, and prevented Russia and South Korea from fulfilling their potential for creating a cooperative comprehensive security relationship. The author concludes with an assessment on the utility of the concept of multi-dimensional security cooperation as a framework for studying and improving the prospects for Russian-South Korean bilateral relations.

The dynamics of Northeast Asia have traditionally been considered primarily in military and hard security terms or alternatively along their economic dimensions. This book argues that relations among the states of Northeast Asia are far more comprehensible when the mutually shaping interactions between economics and security are considered simultaneously. It examines these interactions and some of the key empirical questions they pose, the answers to which have important lessons for international relations beyond Northeast Asia. Contributors to this volume analyze how the states of the region define their ‘security’, and how bilateral relations in hard security issues and economic linkages play out among Japan, China and the two Koreas. Further, the chapters interrogate how different patterns of techno-nationalist development affect regional security ties, and the extent to which closer economic connections enhance or detract from a nation’s self-perceived security. The book concludes by discussing scenarios for the future and the conditions that will shape relations between economics and security in the region. This book will be welcomed by students and scholars of Asian politics, Asian economics, security studies and political economy.

This book presents to the reader a comprehensive and integrated discussion of the Northeast Asian-Western Pacific region and its relationships to United States and world security concerns and international political stability.

Northeast Asia is the most dynamic sector of the global economy, and the most dynamic element is undoubtedly the rise of China. However, in this region conflicts dating back to the Cold War have not yet found resolution. The imbalance between economic progress and political stagnation ensures that international affairs pose many challenges to governments and to students alike. The two papers herein, originally presented at the Strategic Studies Institute's 2007 annual Strategy Conference, highlight the challenges posed by the rise of China and by the new possibility for making progress on Korean issues due to the Six- Party Agreements on North Korean proliferation of February 13, 2007. In keeping with the conference's theme, "Regional Challenges to American Security," Dr. Chu Shulong, the first paper's author, presents a view of China's interests, goals, and perspectives on Northeast Asian issues.

Since World War II, the United States has played a crucial role in shaping Northeast Asian politics and economics. However, as this authoritative book shows, the Cold War's demise, September 11, and America's major strategic realignments have unleashed seismic changes in the region. China's rise, Japan's quest for a normal state, and the North Korean nuclear quagmire are also potential flashpoints. Collective memories of past aggression as well as resurgent nationalism further complicate regional dynamics. But hopeful signs abound, as deepening economic interdependence, expanding social and cultural exchanges, and the proliferation of informal economic, social, and cultural networks have improved the chances for a peaceful evolution to a liberal and stable region. Contributions by: Vinod K. Aggarwal, Paul Bacon, Avery Goldstein, G. John Ikenberry, Takashi Inoguchi, Ki-Jung Kim, Myongsob Kim, Woosang Kim, Yongho Kim, Min Gyo Koo, Michael Mastanduno, Chung-in Moon, Katharine H. S. Moon, Seung-won Suh, and William C. Wohlforth