Page 167 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

Introduction

Many experts have argued that we are living in a different
world than the post-Cold War era. In general, most agree that
the U.S.-China rivalry and the Russia-Ukraine war are major
issues that have made a difference. They are debating whether
the world has entered into a new Cold War era. If we narrow
down from the global to a Northeast Asian view, we would find
another hot debate on the emergence of South Korea-U.S.-
Japan vs. North Korea-China-Russia structure.

The Kim Jong-Un regime, which asserts that the international
order has turned into a new Cold War system, has recently
made major efforts to reinforce its relationships with China as
well as Russia. The North Korea-Russia summit in particular,
held in Russia on September 13, 2023, focused attention
on North Korea, China and Russia cooperation, while
highlighting the potential competition between the South
Korea-U.S.-Japan alignment versus that of North Korea-
China-Russia in Northeast Asia. Furthermore, many experts
argued that after the summit between Kim Jong-Un and
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow could provide
grain and transfer satellite and nuclear-powered submarine
advanced technology to Pyongyang. North Korea, in return,
would transport military supplies to the Russian frontline in
Ukraine.

From South Korea’s standpoint, these changes and debates
have raised serious concerns that could directly or indirectly
affect national interests, with political, economic, and military

Chapter Ten : The Stability and Sustainability of South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation 167