Section 1
1. Global Korea
This concept, which is high on the Government’s agenda, is a vision aimed by the Government towards the national security sector. It asks for the country to contribute to world peace and seek co-prosperity through proactive and open foreign policy that pursues exchanges and collaboration with the rest of the world on a variety of global issues, including economic, cultural and environmental ones, rather than relying on a diplomatic and security solution confined to the Korean Peninsula and North Korea’s nuclear issues.
Section 1. National Security Strategic Guidance
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First, 'maintaining stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula' means that the ROK Government will ensure the constant stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula, based on its own defense capability and the ROK-U.
S. alliance, by engaging in inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, along with multifaceted collaboration with its neighboring countries.
Second, 'establishing the foundation for public safety and national prosperity' signifies that the Government will ensure public safety from multifarious security threats and will achieve the social and economic security on which national prosperity can be grounded.
Third, 'enhancing the country’s international capacity and stature' refers to the ROK making such great strides towards becoming a Soft Strong Power by actively contributing to world peace, freedom and democracy, and co-prosperity while strengthening its collaborations with the international community.
2. Tenets of the National Security Strategy (NSS)
7KH.RUHDQ*RYHUQPHQWKDVVSHFL¿HGWKHIROORZLQJWKUHHWHQHWVRIWKH National Security Strategy (NSS): first, creating a new peace structure;
second, carrying out pragmatic diplomacy and openness; and third, seeking advanced security that reaches out to the world.
President Lee Myung-bak delivering his new year’s address (January 2010)
First, the goal of ‘creating a new peace structure’ will be achieved by the following: advancing the inter-Korea relationship in a future-oriented way to arrive at mutual benefits; pushing forward with the ‘Strategic Alliance towards the 21st Century’2 with the United States in a manner that will contribute to bringing about peace on the Korean Peninsula, regional stability, and also world peace; and constructing a close and cooperative relationship with neighboring countries.
Second, in order to carry out ‘pragmatic diplomacy and active openness,’
the ROK will implement a pragmatic foreign affairs campaign that could revitalize the economy and energy diplomacy; pursue international cooperation and contribution diplomacy that commensurate with Korea's economic and diplomatic capabilities.
Third, in seeking advanced security that reaches out to the world, the ROK will build its military capabilities and advanced defense operational systems that proactively respond to the changes in the security environment and future warfare; enhance the competence of its comprehensive security to ensure its responsiveness to multifarious security threats; actively engage in international peacekeeping operations and reconstruction activities.
In order to realize the tenets of the NSS, the Government has been implementing strategic tasks by sectors. The core strategic task in the national defense sector is to build a ‘future-oriented security capability.’ To achieve this goal, the MND has been concentrating its resources to attain Defense Vision of fostering an ‘Advanced Elite Military.’ In addition, it established the Defense Reform Basic Plan in December 2005 and has since periodically evaluated and improved the Plan.
2. Strategic Alliance towards the 21st Century
Under the Strategic Alliance towards the 21st Century, the ROK and the U.S.
agreed to abide by, first, claiming to stand for a liberal democracy, market economy and humanitarianism, and promote such ideals befitting of the Korean Peninsula, Notheast Asia and the World, second, broadening and deepening their mutually-dependent relationship on the social, economic and cultural fronts on the basis of their solid, long-lasted military alliance, and third, developing the alliance such that it can contribute to regional and global peace and confidence building, while bolstering strategic cooperation with other neighboring countries in the region.
Section 2. Objectives and Tenets of the National Defense Policy
41 1. National Defense Objectives
There are three national defense objectives: defending the nation from external military threats and invasion ; upholding the principle of peaceful unification ; and contributing to regional stability and world peace. The VSHFL¿FGHWDLOVRIWKHVHREMHFWLYHVDUHDVIROORZV
First, ‘defending the nation from external military threats and invasion’
VLJQL¿HVWKDWWKH01'ZLOOSURWHFWWKHQDWLRQIURP1RUWK.RUHD¶VH[LVWLQJ military threat and, further, from all other potential threats to the peace and security of the ROK. The North has posed serious threats to the South’s security with its large-scale conventional military forces, development and enhancement of WMDs, including nuclear weapons and missiles, and constant armed provocations as shown by the attack on the ROK Ship Cheonan and the artillery firing at Yeonpyeong Island. As long as such threats continue, the main agents of the provocative acts, which are the North Korean regime and its military, will remain enemies of the South.
Section 2
The MND has proclaimed an ‘Advanced Elite Military’ as its Defense Vision to realize its national security and national defense objectives in this fast changing security environment. To this end, the MND set up eight key defense policy tenets to ensure consistent implementation of the defense policies across different sectors.