Publication

In light of the Chinese President’s state visit to Seoul on 3 July 2014, this commentary examines how the Republic of Korea might handle its relations to China and the United States in the future in terms of regional security. The author can see two possible outcomes: 1) a ‘Finlandization’ in which South Korea retains some degree of self-reliance by balancing between the great powers, or 2) a ‘Crimeanization’ in which Seoul’s interests are increasingly subsumed within China’s larger geopolitical influence.