Conclusion

This chapter revisits the main argument of the book and summarizes the key findings. In particular, in order to address the main research questions of the volume, we retrace the different approaches implemented by South Korean policy makers in relation to the two main political traditions of progressives and conservatives. In doing so, the chapter also describes the specific situations in which the domestic ideological and political divide does not affect foreign policy choices, such as in the case of economic relations with China and the relations between South Korea and the developing world. In addition, the chapter emphasizes the dynamic character of these traditions, analysing the efforts of South Korean policymakers to adapt and renew the existing traditions in order to address the specific challenges posed by the emergence of the “Asian paradox” and the country’s changing international role. In this perspective, the chapter concludes with the assessment of the process of adaptation of political traditions put in place by the current administration of Moon Jae-in.