On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, Chinese Foreign Ministry made a strong statement urging the Yoon Suk-yeol government to hold its steadfast policy of the “Three Nos” – no additional deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system batteries, no integration into a U.S.-led missile defense network, and no involvement in a trilateral alliance with the United States (U.S.) and Japan. Specifically, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian noted that a “commitment made should be a commitment kept despite a change of government. When it comes to major sensitive issues concerning the security of its neighbors, the ROK (Republic of Korea) side needs to continue to act prudently and find a fundamental solution to the issues.”
This Chinese statement is one good example depicting China’s concern about Seoul’s ostensible shift in its position moving closer toward the United States under South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. During his presidential election campaign, Yoon criticized the former president Moon Jae-in and his administration for its reluctance to stand firm with the United States and against China, which “has created an impression that South Korea has been tilting toward China and away from its longtime ally, the United States.” President Yoon has clearly signaled a shift in South Korean foreign policy to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance and stand firm on regional security more aligned with the United States and its allies, even possibly taking a similar stance on a rising China. Signaling the shift, President Yoon attended the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Madrid, Spain in June 2022. The Yoon administration has also agreed to resume a live field joint military exercise with the United States in August.
 

Introduction

Costs of South Korea’s Shifts in Strategy in the U.S.-China Rivalry

Conclusion