National Working Group meeting in South Korea

The fourth South Korean National Working Group meeting within the framework of the Asia-Pacific SSG Network Initiative took place on 28 February. The meeting was structured around three presentations which were each followed by discussions among the participants. These participants represented several different South Korean institutions, including from universities, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense, think tanks, and research institutes.

The first of the three presentations considered the implications of the Chinese Coast Guard Law for East Asian maritime security. The presentation highlighted potential security risks and made recommendations to the South Korean government.

The second presentation concerned the potential weaponization of energy by Russia and Europe’s energy security. The presenter argued for a more active European effort to guard against this energy weaponization through collective bargaining and the pursuit of alternative sources of energy.

Finally, the last presentation dealt with the issue of climate security, using the activities of the US military following the Biden administration’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad as a starting point. It was argued that the South Korean military will similarly have to take the security implications of climate change into consideration, and cautiously adopt carbon-neutral policies where possible.