Due to their historical, geographical and cultural specificities, South Korea and European countries have different perspectives on international relations and cooperation. The approach of South Korea on regional interdependence can therefore appear dual and somewhat conflicting from a European perspective. This article first takes stock of the extensive European integration theory and isolate three dimensions(regime, polity, economic performance) of regional cooperation. It then gives an overview of Korea’s international relations foundations and uniqueness in the complex Eat-Asian modern history, as well as the remaining Cold War paradigm. It finally confronts the classic regional integration to the double view that South Korea has on regional cooperation: territorial and identity-led with regards to North Korea; functional and economically-led with regards to rest of the world. By analyzing some concrete cooperation examples (Six-party Talks, FTAs, ASEAN Plus Three), it highlights the absence of a true regional integration design and the contrast with European construction.