ABSTRACT

2018 will mark the seventieth anniversary of the creation of both the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Korea. What should have only remained as a temporary separation has now morphed into a permanent arrangement. While there have been many attempts to engage with the Korean conflict, this chapter starts with Balcer’s assumption that the United States has declined in its propensity to be a “global policeman” (2012), paving the way for middle powers to play a more prominent position on the peninsula. Using official speeches and diplomatic encounters, the chapter investigates three types of role: (i) traditional middle powers promoting good international citizenship; (ii) new and emerging middle powers seeking a platform to demonstrate their worth to the international community to validate their status and (iii) opportunistic powers seeking economic gains and political positioning within the region.