Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA

The Yoon administration on June 7 released The Yoon Suk Yeol Administration's National Security Strategy: Global Pivotal State for Freedom, Peace and Prosperity. Shown is President Yoon Suk Yeol on May 23 chairing his 21st Cabinet meeting at the Office of the President in Seoul.  

By Park Hye Ri
Photos = Office of the President

The Yoon administration on June 7 released its National Security Strategy on diplomacy and national security.

Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo told a news briefing that the National Security Office (NSO) published The Yoon Suk Yeol Administration's National Security Strategy: Global Pivotal State for Freedom, Peace and Prosperity.

The guide contains policy directions for the administration's diplomacy and national security including foreign affairs, unification and national defense. Since 2004, this work has been released when a new government is inaugurated to reflect changes in the security environment and government policy. 

The latest edition is 107 pages in Korean spread over eight chapters. 

The strategy's three main goals are "defend national sovereignty and territory and enhance the safety of citizens," "establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and prepare for future unification," and "lay the foundation for East Asia's prosperity and expand the nation's global roles."

The content assessed rapidly changing security environment like the intensifying strategic competition between the U.S. and China, North Korea's advances in nuclear and missile capabilities, and new security issues such as instability of supply chains, climate change, pandemics and cyber threats. It then proposed strategic principles and tasks by sector in detail to respond to such challenges.

In diplomacy, the guide explained the administration's planned focus on bolstering the alliance between Korea and the U.S. and that among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo. On the Korea-U.S. alliance, it said, "The ROK (Republic of Korea)-U.S. alliance must expand in its scope and range of collaboration to a global level."

On the Washington Declaration adopted in April, it added, "The ROK–U.S. military alliance has evolved into a new paradigm of military alliance that includes nuclear capabilities."

Turning to inter-Korean relations, it said the National Security Strategy of the Yoon administration considers North Korea's nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction "the most pressing security challenge," adding, "The Yoon Suk Yeol administration is committed to significantly reinforcing our capabilities to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."

To this end, the guide mentioned securing the capacity of the Korea Three-Axis System of Kill Chain Preemptive Strike, Korean Air and Missile Defense, and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, setting up a strategic command center, and enhancing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. 

On the ultimate goal of denuclearization, it proposed the "audacious initiative" that President Yoon proposed in his Liberation Day speech on Aug. 15 last year of achieving "the complete denuclearization of North Korea and promote sustainable peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula."

To build a system for responding to global economic security issues, the guide pledged to expand strategic communication with the U.S., Japan, European Union and Australia on overall economic security and actively participate in newly formed economic cooperation platforms such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

"The Yoon Administration's strategic direction in diplomacy and national security is development of a cooperative diplomacy of freedom and solidarity to pursue national interests and pragmatic diplomacy," Deputy Director Kim said. 

"The ultimate goal of the government's foreign policy is contributing to the freedom, peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world, something achievable through omnidirectional global diplomacy customized by region and issue."

To promote the administration's diplomatic and national security strategies, the NSO will distribute 10,000 copies of the booklet both at home and abroad, including 3,000 in English.

The Office of the President on June 7 released the National Security Strategy of the Yoon administration. Shown are the front and back covers and a page from the English-language version.

hrhr@korea.kr