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| President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden toast each other during the official banquet following their summit at the National Museum of Korea, Saturday. Yonhap |
Korea can still play role at Quad working groups: experts
By Kang Seung-woo
Despite the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's desire to formally join the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the United States has not been enthusiastic about adding Korea to the four-way strategic forum, aimed at purportedly containing China's assertiveness. The Quad is comprised of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S.
The U.S. stance contrasts sharply with Washington's warm welcome to Seoul's decision to participate in the Indo-Pacific Framework (IPEF), a recently launched economic initiative that also seeks to counter Beijing's growing influence in the region.
Diplomatic observers believe that the unexpected U.S. response may have to do with its desire not to alienate China further, which could respond strongly to Korea's participation in the Quad, while Washington may also have considered potential Japanese resistance due to its frayed bilateral ties with Korea that could detract from the overall goals of the four-way forum.
During his election campaign, Yoon pledged to take part in the Quad's various working groups like those on climate change and technologies in order to gradually join the network.
A senior U.S. official said it was not considering adding Korea to the security forum, according to media reports, Sunday, one day after U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Yoon's interest in the Quad in a joint statement following their summit in Seoul.
In addition, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki also said, May 3, that the U.S. had no plan to invite Korea to the Quad, saying that it will continue to engage Korea through a range of mechanisms.
"The Biden administration seems worried that adding Korea could further antagonize China when U.S.-Sino relations are in terrible shape. Team Biden likely thinks that while such a move won't make relations better, it won't make them worse," said Harry Kazianis, the president of the think tank Rogue States Project.
Kazianis, however, said the U.S. decision would be a mistake as it needs as many allies as possible to deter Chinese aggression.
"Korea would be a major addition to the group, perhaps a game changer. President Yoon is taking a great risk in showing interest in joining the group ― Biden should embrace that," he added.
Bruce Klingner, a former CIA deputy division chief of Korea and current senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said there were challenges to Korea's membership, including overcoming domestic public opposition fearful of Chinese retribution and potential Japanese resistance due to strained bilateral relations.
"There are also concerns that bilateral Korea-Japanese disputes would detract from overall Quad goals. If Yoon's announced intent to improve relations with Tokyo bears fruit, then formally joining the organization would be more beneficial," Klingner said.
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| Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, from left, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave to the media prior to the Quad meeting in Japan, Tuesday. AFP-Yonhap |
However, experts said Korea should not obsess excessively about the membership, adding that there are multiple areas at the working-group level that the country can contribute to the Quad.
"In many respects, membership in the Quad is not the central consideration but rather it is the production of the working groups where the real progress will occur," U.S. Naval War College Professor Terence Roehrig said.
"Korea has significant expertise for the existing Quad working groups on COVID-19 vaccines and climate change along with critical and emerging technologies. Also, I believe Korea could also be a leader in another possible future working group that deals with maritime security.
"In the months ahead, with greater Korean participation in the Quad, the membership issue will sort itself out."
Klingner also said rather than formally joining the Quad, it would be more effective for Korea to expeditiously engage in multilateral initiatives more directly focused on regional security missions.
However, Klingner added that there will be ample opportunities for Quad members to work in the near term with Korea and other like-minded partners in a Quad Plus format, forming functional coalitions where interests align.?
"Korea already participated in one such initiative when a Quad Plus working group was formed that included regular videoconference calls with Korea, Vietnam, and New Zealand to coordinate pandemic responses," he said, adding that Korea could be a candidate to participate in other Quad Plus coalitions covering maritime security or vaccine distribution, among others."
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