ABSTRACT

South Korea has been a direct benefi ciary of the peace and stability provided by the U.S.-led hub and spokes network of bilateral security alliances established during the Cold War. By extension, South Korea has identifi ed and pursued its energy and transit security needs in a context defi ned by South Korea’s reliance on its security alliance with the United States. The U.S. alliance system provided stability to the Korean peninsula in the aftermath of a bloody war and established an environment where Seoul was able to successfully follow Japan in taking advantage of open U.S. markets to pursue an export-led industrialization strategy. The strategic and economic benefi ts afforded to South Korea by U.S. protection and open markets since the Korean War has enabled it to become an industrialized country. In the process, South Korea’s energy needs have grown tremendously, but Seoul’s alliance with Washington served as a de facto security guarantee for maritime transit of energy supplies to South Korea as well as protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs). This arrangement has until recently obviated the need to worry about energy security in pure security terms.