South Korea's diplomacy has long concentrated on better ties with four superpowers ― the United States, Japan, China and Russia. The geopolitical situation has forced the divided nation to put top diplomatic priorities on the surrounding powers. That's why President Lee Myung-bak has strengthened his ``four-power diplomacy'' since his inauguration not only to restore the once-frayed traditional alliance with Washington, but also to forge a closer partnership with Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow.
Last year, Lee was busy visiting the ``Big Four'' to expand ties with them in the fields of diplomacy, politics and security, step up business and economic cooperation, and boost cultural and human exchanges. But this year, he is seeking to consolidate relations with Asian nations. On Sunday, President Lee announced a new diplomatic initiative toward Asia in Jakarta, winding up his eight-day visit to Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
The initiative is drawing much attention because it is designed to diversify the nation's diplomatic focus from the U.S. and other regional superpowers. Such a shift is inevitable because of the growing influence and importance of Asia. ``Now is the time we must again pay closer attention to Asia's growing importance. The center of the world is moving from the West to the East, and this movement is fast gaining speed by the day,'' Lee said. He disclosed a plan to boost Korea's international status by seeking free trade agreements (FTAs) with all Asian countries and raising economic aid to developing countries in the region.
We cannot overestimate the importance of diplomatic diversification to expand ties with Asia, Europe and the rest of the world. Especially, Asia has great potential for growth as it accounts for 52 percent of the world's population and 26 percent of global trade. South Korea's trade with Asian countries took 48 percent of its total foreign trade. Asia has already attracted more than half of the nation's total overseas investments. In this regard, it is natural that the country put more weight on diplomacy toward Asia.
During his visit to Australia and New Zealand, Lee announced a plan to launch negotiations for FTAs with the two countries. This plan is expected to give momentum to Korea's efforts to sign trade deals with many Asian nations. Korea, the world's 13th largest and Asia's fourth biggest economy, can play a bridging role between advanced economies and developing countries. Besides, it can also take a leadership role in tackling global issues such as the worldwide financial crisis and climate change.
However, the new diplomatic initiative may face some hurdles. President Lee and his policymakers must keep in mind that China and Japan are exercising significant influence over Asia, sometimes jockeying for regional hegemony. It is hard to rule out the possibility that Korea's rivals might try to block its attempt to take a bigger role not only in Asia but also around the world. Former President Roh Moo-hyun once advocated the nation's role as a ``balancer'' in Northeast Asia, which drew a rebuke from the U.S.
Therefore, it is necessary that Korea should push the initiative based on understanding from its rivals and confidence from Asian neighbors. The Lee administration should make thorough preparations and work out detailed action plans to translate the initiative into reality.