Corée du Sud, la septième armée du monde ?

As Democratic Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) continuous development of non-conventional weapons and challenges of the international community reaches a new level, Republic of Korea (ROK) appears more than ever as the frontline state on which most of North-East Asia security depends.

The northern enemy and the closely monitored de-militarized zone, quite logically stand as the country’s strategic priority. This environment led it to develop of a massive military in order to deter or repel any invasion scheme. Overall, ROK defense policy is still determined by its longstanding alliance with the United States. However, this protection comes at the cost of a high dependence on US technology, thus stalling the development of its flourishing defense industry. Furthermore, ROK’s compulsory military conscription is the subject of much criticism as its hard conditions conflict with the aspirations of the youth. Although military reforms have been planned for years, the looming DPRK threat makes it hardly conceivable for the country to take its attention away and to embrace a defense policy more consistent with South Korean economy and society.
This content is available in French: Corée du Sud, la septième armée du monde ?
Related centers and programs
Discover our other research centers and programsFind out more
Discover all our analysesDesign, Destroy, Dominate. The Mass Drone Warfare as a Potential Military Revolution
The widespread use of drones observed in Ukraine—both in terms of the scale of the fleets deployed and their omnipresence in the operations of both belligerents—appears to meet the conditions of a genuine military revolution.
The Hunt for Economic Security: The Role of Navies in Deterring Threats to the Maritime Economy
The maritime domain is currently faced with a wide variety of threats, such as climate change, economic warfare, shadow fleet operations, protection of critical infrastructures, and illicit activities ranging from illegal fishing to piracy. Navies suffer from inherent limitations when deterring threats to the global maritime economy: their global presence and permanence limits their credibility in terms of deterrence, their focus usually set on immediate deterrence, implementing deterrence by punishment in and from the naval domain is difficult and costly.
A Fragile Consensus? The Pressure on the Norm Against Nuclear Testing
Apart from North Korea, no state has conducted explosive nuclear tests in the 21st century, reflecting the emergence of a strong international norm against such testing.
The Franco-German Brigade and the Revival of European Defense
One thing has been clear since Donald Trump's return to the White House: the very existence of the European unification project is threatened. Unless it develops a sovereign defense policy to counter the war in Ukraine and the weakening of American security guarantees, the European Union will continue to see its internal cohesion and external attractiveness wane.