ABSTRACT
By virtue of its geography, South Korea is not an Arctic state, but it has diverseinterests in the circumpolar north. Cut off from land routes to Eurasia by North Korea, the peninsular country of South Korea has historically relied on maritime shipping for 99.8 per cent of its imports and exports by volume.1 South Korea’s interests in the Arctic, broadly concerning shipping, hydrocarbons and science and research, are connected by their ability to allow the country to project maritime power from afar through the key industrial technologies of transport and energy. Out of necessity, South Korea has strived to develop a heavy industry manufacturing base to support the production of large-scale maritime infrastructure and long-distance shipping technologies. As such, the country’s interests in the Arctic appear primarily commercial, a perception shared by much of the existing small body of literature commenting on South Korean Arctic interests.2 Yet such analysis overlooks the complex interplay between South Korean commercial interests and the state’s desire to produce scientifically competent citizens while investing in research and development (R&D), factors which this article identifies as motivating South Korea’s Arctic activities. Moreover, South Korea’s polar pursuits reflect a new, global outlook in its foreign policy coloured both by economic nationalism and a desire to be seen by the international community as a responsible citizen concerned with issues like climate change.
