North Korea Threats Make Engaging Quad a Risk Worth Taking for South Korea

Jagannath P. Panda
Introduction:
For much of the past decade, South Korea was inclined to play a balancing act between the U.S. and China while keeping its foreign policy energy primarily focused on North Korea. But “strategic autonomy” appears to be no more. New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol wants to firmly align the country with the U.S. and position South Korea firmly as a bulwark against the deterioration of Western liberal values. Yoon has repeatedly mentioned the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue as a mechanism through which to do this.
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