South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s ‘global pivotal state’ strategy marks a profound shift in the country’s foreign and defence policies, aiming to extend South Korea’s strategic reach beyond the Korean peninsula. The new strategy is designed to broaden South Korea’s military, economic and diplomatic footprint — turning the country into a pivotal ‘hub’ that can foster networks between likeminded nations.

The strategy also envisions South Korea enhancing the Indo-Pacific and global security architecture through multilayered connections spanning security, economic interests and technological advancements. This reorientation represents a pivot from its previous focus on North Korea and strategic ambiguity toward the US–China rivalry.

South Korea’s reorientation seeks to promote advanced technology cooperation, economic security and multilateralism. This involves a commitment to shaping rules-based international security and economic frameworks with other democracies, such as cooperating with NATO on the war in Ukraine and participating in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Partners of the Blue Pacific.

One potential framework that promotes the global pivotal state’s goal of multilateralism is AUKUS. South Korea’s strategic shift was highlighted during recent South Korea–Australia 2+2 talks. The discussions targeted collaboration in advanced technologies and weaponry. This initiative strengthens military and technological partnerships and signals Seoul’s move towards a more integrated global security role.

Engagement with AUKUS marks a departure from South Korea’s traditional regional strategies, notably its longstanding bilateral alliance with the United States. While the alliance has been pivotal in managing North Korea, AUKUS offers a broader platform for South Korea to address security issues beyond the Korean peninsula.

AUKUS enhances deterrence against potential Chinese aggression, sending a strong, unified message from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. This cooperation aligns with South Korea’s expansion of its security focus to address broader challenges posed by China that impact the global order.

South Korea is also expanding cooperation to encompass leadership in democracy, governance and technology. This aligns with the common goals of AUKUS. Participating in AUKUS Pillar 2 — which emphasises cooperation on emerging defence technologies with democratic states — is a key element of the global pivotal state strategy. South Korea’s recent hosting of the Summit for Democracy also underscores Seoul’s emerging leadership in global governance.

Seoul’s leadership ambitions are further emphasised by its upcoming hosting of both the Summit for Responsible AI in the Military Domain and the AI Safety Summit. These initiatives are crucial for achieving the global pivotal state strategy’s ambitions, positioning South Korea as a key player in nontraditional areas that resonate strongly with the AUKUS framework.

After the Japan–US bilateral summit, AUKUS member states started considering cooperating with Japan under Pillar 2 of AUKUS. The AUKUS framework presents a new avenue for diplomatic and defence engagement outside the traditional US–Korea–Japan trilateral format.

This diversifies channels of cooperation and communication, potentially easing historical tensions through shared strategic objectives. It reflects AUKUS’s potential to foster better relations between Japan and South Korea. Enhanced cooperation could play a huge role in future AUKUS Pillar 2 initiatives or in the expansion of joint military exercises, aligning closely with Yoon’s foreign policy approach of improving relations with Japan.

Interoperability is a key component of modern military alliances, facilitating deeper collaboration. Along with the AUKUS Pillar 1 of nuclear submarines, sharing military technologies in AUKUS Pillar 2 indicates how interoperability is crucial. South Korea’s defence industry, including the recent export of AS21 Redback IFV tanks to Australia, highlights the existing basis for interoperable defence relations.

South Korea already has robust interoperability with the United States and South Korea can extend this to Australia. This represents an opportunity to expand South Korea’s defence export market and share advanced defence technologies. For Australia, it increases the interoperability of its forces with US and South Korean military assets.

Integrating South Korea into the AUKUS framework does face challenges. The Yoon administration made notable efforts to mend historically strained relations with Japan, but there is no certainty a future South Korean government will follow this trajectory, particularly if the political landscape shifts further to the opposition. Australia consistently views Japan as its primary security partner in the Indo-Pacific after the United States, highlighting a potential divergence in priorities.

China might view enhanced military cooperation between South Korea and AUKUS as part of a larger strategy of encirclement or containment. China has already condemned AUKUS’s expansion, saying that it fuels an arms race. Potential economic repercussions could mirror those experienced during the 2017 THAAD missile system deployment, which significantly strained relations. South Korea must carefully navigate its diplomatic relationship and economic interdependence with China.

Enhanced engagement with AUKUS presents a vital opportunity for the Yoon administration to reinforce its global pivotal state strategy. For AUKUS-South Korea cooparation to be successful it is crucial for both AUKUS members and the South Korean government foster robust communication channels to institutionalise cooperation.

SeungHwan (Shane) Kim is a Master’s Student at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a Researcher at the Korea Foundation.