South Korea’s engagement of Central Asia from the end of the Cold War to the "New Asia Initiative"

Abstract

This paper examines South Korea’s engagement in Central Asia as a case study of the country’s broader efforts to establish itself as a more assertive regional and global economic and political player. Embedding the analysis in the account of the evolving nature of Korean-Central Asian relations over the past two decades, the paper locates Korea’s policy towards the region within its attempts to tackle energy vulnerability. Without the “political baggage” that accompanies the presence of other major players, Korea’s economically-driven country-specific strategy is yielding significant results.