이명박 정부의 ‘실용외교’ 전망과 과제

Abstract

The Lee Myung-bak government is poised to implement a “pragmatic diplomacy” that is based on national interests rather than ideologies. It will thus deny moral absolutism and move toward concrete policy outcomes. As to the North Korea policy, the Lee government will be maintaining the “strategic reciprocity” that puts denuclearization before economic assistance and cooperation, while showing a tactical flexibility when North Korea makes a progress in nuclear disablement and declaration. Among the three key security issues, namely, North Korean nuclear problem, ROK-U.S. alliance, and peace regime-building on the Korean Peninsula, the Lee government will put the top priority on the strengthening of the alliance, through which the resolution of the nuclear problem will be explored, and the peace regime will be established on the peninsula as an end state. The ROK-U.S. alliance will be transformed into a future-oriented strategic alliance which is based on common values, mutual trust, and the vision of global peace. Korea’s relations with other neighboring powers will be upgraded in a comprehensive manner, which will also develop into a new regional cooperation of Asia. Under the catch phrase of “global Korea”, the Lee government will try to expand its diplomatic horizon to the world, which means Korea will reach out to the world by increasing its ODA and other forms of contribution. This will be also accompanied by active “energy diplomacy” and dynamic “cultural diplomacy” so that a synergistic effect may be realized. In this light, Korea will be in need of inventing the Korean version of “transformational diplomacy” that prioritizes regional and functional targets of its diplomacy.