Of late India-South Korea relations have witnessed an upswing with the elevation of bilateral rel... more Of late India-South Korea relations have witnessed an upswing with the elevation of bilateral relation to Special Strategic Partnership (SSP) in 2015. Explaining the context and developments in bilateral relations, the article observes that the new momentum articulated in SSP constitutes a convergence of interests through the meeting of India's 'Act East Policy' and South Korea's 'New Southern Policy'. The growing cooperation in defence, security, development, industry and a shared vision for regional order has visibly enhanced the scope and depth of the strategic partnership between the two countries, however, not without challenges in the emerging Indo-Pacific regional context.
Despite being a treaty ally of the US and a key stakeholder in the emerging regional order, South... more Despite being a treaty ally of the US and a key stakeholder in the emerging regional order, South Korea's approach to the Indo-Pacific has been a policy of 'strategic ambiguity'. It entails a cautious engagement with Indo-Pacific initiatives of different countries under the ambit of 'New Southern Policy' without endorsing the concept or articulating the Korean position on the Indo-Pacific regional construct. Explaining the strategic outlook of Korean foreign policy in a transforming regional strategic environment, this article provides a detailed account of the evolution of Korea's approach to the Indo-Pacific. It argues that Korea's ambiguous approach to the Indo-Pacific' is determined by the prioritization of maintaining a 'balanced diplomacy' in its relations with the US and China in a context of intensified strategic competition between the two.
This article provides an Indian perspective on the evolution of South Korea’s New Southern Policy... more This article provides an Indian perspective on the evolution of South Korea’s New Southern Policy (NSP-K) and its implications for the two countries’ bilateral relations. It argues that, amid the intensification of regional great power geopolitics, NSP-K manifests Korea’s assertion of middle power agency, featuring a quest for regional influence and autonomy. As an instrument intended to strengthen relations with India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), NSP-K was driven by a desire to reduce Korea’s great power dependence and promote its image as a bilateral partner through an agenda of economic and diplomatic diversification. The evolution of NSP-K as Korea’s regional approach and its ambiguous position on the Indo-Pacific concept manifested the Moon administration’s prioritisation of ‘balanced diplomacy’ and the pursuit of ‘strategic autonomy’ in regional affairs. NSP-K, with its emphasis on the upgrading of India’s status in Korean foreign policy, has significantly contributed to the visibility and prospects of India-Korea bilateral relations. However, Korea’s ambiguity on the Indo-Pacific concept and its neglect of geostrategic and security issues, which New Delhi sees as critical in building a stable regional order, has become a limitation.
Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 2024
India-Japan relations over the last two decades have become a regionally and globally oriented 's... more India-Japan relations over the last two decades have become a regionally and globally oriented 'strategic partnership' from a narrow bilateral economic relationship. A key factor driving this transformation has been the discourse of the Indo-Pacific regional construct. Considering the overwhelming space occupied by maritime affairs in the bilateral strategic agenda, describing contemporary India-Japan relations as an India-Japan Indo-Pacific Strategic Partnership is justified. The article attempts to provide an evolutionary account of the India-Japan Indo-Pacific strategic partnership. In doing so, it identifies four phases in the evolution of the partnership: conception, actualisation, consolidation, and resilience, corresponding to the evolution of the Indo-Pacific concept from a geographic idea to a strategic concept to a regional order framework.
The article documents the evolution of the structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy th... more The article documents the evolution of the structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy through a study of middle-power diplomacy in the post-2008 financial crisis period. This article argues that middle-power diplomacy, which propounds a global role for South Korea assuming leadership and substantially increasing international contribution is a paradigm shift in South Korean foreign policy posture, which until recently was limited to issues of the Korean peninsula. Through the middle power discourse South Korea projects its role in international affairs as a facilitator, interlocutor and norm entrepreneur focusing on international security, development and environment and is aims to create a space for Korean diplomatic entrepreneurism in the emerging international order.
The current paper is an attempt to provide a critical account on the practice of nation branding ... more The current paper is an attempt to provide a critical account on the practice of nation branding based on an Indian case study. Contrary to available literature on nation branding, which treat the practice as an apolitical strategy aimed at promoting business internationally, the current paper, drawing on Foucault’s idea of governmentality, proposes an alternative reading of nation branding as a political technology that seeks to govern state subjectivity through the discursive production of a ‘nation brand’, a neo-liberal form of national identity. In doing so the paper seeks to theorise the emergence of the ‘brand state’ a particular form of neo-liberal state, to show how state is being reproduced and transformed under the conditions of globalisation. Nation branding as a political technology reproduces the primacy of nation states as the unit of governance in world politics while, at the same time, it defines economic imaginary as the primary language for articulating national boundaries. Exploring different instances of nation branding projects in India reveals how such practices have produced consumable images of Indian nation for the global market and reconstructed India as space of economic activity, the study build a narrative account India’s nation branding practices and the evolution of ‘brand state’. It argues that nation branding is not merely a communication strategy aimed to communicate desired national images to a global audience but more importantly a process and key discursive site of constructing national identity; in the Indian case, “Brand India” corresponds to the emerging Indian national identity since the post-1991 economic reform informed by the discourses of neo-liberalism.
One of the striking themes in contemporary South Korean foreign policy is a strong emphasis on ac... more One of the striking themes in contemporary South Korean foreign policy is a strong emphasis on achieving seonjinguk (advanced nation) status in international affairs, as articulated in the slogan 'Global Korea'. Engaging with the discourse of globalization, the concept of seonjinguk has provided Korea with an interpretive framework for discussions of its national identity and global position. The historical experience of Korea as a hujinguk (backward country) underlies the emphasis accorded to the goal of becoming seonjinguk. The article argues that the discursive practice of Global Korea was not merely a point of departure in Korean foreign policy but was also the key site of Korean national identity construction. Through an exploration of the historical context and diplomatic practice of constructing Global Korea, it illustrates the continuity and authority of the discourse of seonjinguk in interpreting and constructing Korean national identity.
Anybody who embraced the magic of information age hardly likely could have missed "nation" advert... more Anybody who embraced the magic of information age hardly likely could have missed "nation" advertisements like "India Everywhere", "Incredible India", "Australia Unlimited", "Sparkling Korea", Cool Malaysia etc. These nation advertisements could be aimed at either attracting tourists, investments or simply attention seeking. But this is quite a new phenomenon in which nations are becoming the primary object of projection in the global media, like it used to be products and companies. It is not an isolated phenomenon but becoming a widely accepted governmental policy of what scholars and politicians called "nation branding". What is it and what is it not is becoming an area of academic debate and has gained much attention in the subject matters of marketing, communication studies and lately in international relation. However the term has not yet conceptualized to a consensus level both in theory and practice. This lacuna of academic debate in understanding "nation branding' has generated confusion and has used perplexedly with 'public diplomacy'.
The Northeast Asian strategic order is undergoing a critical phase. The long held US–Japan–South ... more The Northeast Asian strategic order is undergoing a critical phase. The long held US–Japan–South Korea (ROK) security alliance is challenged by strained ROK–Japan relations and growing ROK–China relations vis-à-vis competition between US and China for influence in Asia. ROK is located at the middle of this strategic tussle and its role is pivotal in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Using President Xi Jinping’s July 2014 visit to Seoul as the background, this piece examines developments in ROK–China relations and its implications for the Northeast Asian strategic order.
The article documents the evolution of structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy throug... more The article documents the evolution of structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy through a study of middle power diplomacy in the post-2008 financial crisis period. This paper argues that middle power diplomacy, which propounds a global role for South Korea assuming leadership and substantially increasing international contribution is a paradigm shift in South Korean foreign policy posture, which until recently was limited to issues of Korean peninsula. Through the middle power discourse South Korea projects its role in the international affairs as a facilitator, interlocutor and norm entrepreneur focusing on international security, development and environment and is aimed at creating a space for Korean diplomatic entrepreneurism in the emerging international order.
Of late India-South Korea relations have witnessed an upswing with the elevation of bilateral rel... more Of late India-South Korea relations have witnessed an upswing with the elevation of bilateral relation to Special Strategic Partnership (SSP) in 2015. Explaining the context and developments in bilateral relations, the article observes that the new momentum articulated in SSP constitutes a convergence of interests through the meeting of India's 'Act East Policy' and South Korea's 'New Southern Policy'. The growing cooperation in defence, security, development, industry and a shared vision for regional order has visibly enhanced the scope and depth of the strategic partnership between the two countries, however, not without challenges in the emerging Indo-Pacific regional context.
Despite being a treaty ally of the US and a key stakeholder in the emerging regional order, South... more Despite being a treaty ally of the US and a key stakeholder in the emerging regional order, South Korea's approach to the Indo-Pacific has been a policy of 'strategic ambiguity'. It entails a cautious engagement with Indo-Pacific initiatives of different countries under the ambit of 'New Southern Policy' without endorsing the concept or articulating the Korean position on the Indo-Pacific regional construct. Explaining the strategic outlook of Korean foreign policy in a transforming regional strategic environment, this article provides a detailed account of the evolution of Korea's approach to the Indo-Pacific. It argues that Korea's ambiguous approach to the Indo-Pacific' is determined by the prioritization of maintaining a 'balanced diplomacy' in its relations with the US and China in a context of intensified strategic competition between the two.
This article provides an Indian perspective on the evolution of South Korea’s New Southern Policy... more This article provides an Indian perspective on the evolution of South Korea’s New Southern Policy (NSP-K) and its implications for the two countries’ bilateral relations. It argues that, amid the intensification of regional great power geopolitics, NSP-K manifests Korea’s assertion of middle power agency, featuring a quest for regional influence and autonomy. As an instrument intended to strengthen relations with India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), NSP-K was driven by a desire to reduce Korea’s great power dependence and promote its image as a bilateral partner through an agenda of economic and diplomatic diversification. The evolution of NSP-K as Korea’s regional approach and its ambiguous position on the Indo-Pacific concept manifested the Moon administration’s prioritisation of ‘balanced diplomacy’ and the pursuit of ‘strategic autonomy’ in regional affairs. NSP-K, with its emphasis on the upgrading of India’s status in Korean foreign policy, has significantly contributed to the visibility and prospects of India-Korea bilateral relations. However, Korea’s ambiguity on the Indo-Pacific concept and its neglect of geostrategic and security issues, which New Delhi sees as critical in building a stable regional order, has become a limitation.
Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 2024
India-Japan relations over the last two decades have become a regionally and globally oriented 's... more India-Japan relations over the last two decades have become a regionally and globally oriented 'strategic partnership' from a narrow bilateral economic relationship. A key factor driving this transformation has been the discourse of the Indo-Pacific regional construct. Considering the overwhelming space occupied by maritime affairs in the bilateral strategic agenda, describing contemporary India-Japan relations as an India-Japan Indo-Pacific Strategic Partnership is justified. The article attempts to provide an evolutionary account of the India-Japan Indo-Pacific strategic partnership. In doing so, it identifies four phases in the evolution of the partnership: conception, actualisation, consolidation, and resilience, corresponding to the evolution of the Indo-Pacific concept from a geographic idea to a strategic concept to a regional order framework.
The article documents the evolution of the structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy th... more The article documents the evolution of the structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy through a study of middle-power diplomacy in the post-2008 financial crisis period. This article argues that middle-power diplomacy, which propounds a global role for South Korea assuming leadership and substantially increasing international contribution is a paradigm shift in South Korean foreign policy posture, which until recently was limited to issues of the Korean peninsula. Through the middle power discourse South Korea projects its role in international affairs as a facilitator, interlocutor and norm entrepreneur focusing on international security, development and environment and is aims to create a space for Korean diplomatic entrepreneurism in the emerging international order.
The current paper is an attempt to provide a critical account on the practice of nation branding ... more The current paper is an attempt to provide a critical account on the practice of nation branding based on an Indian case study. Contrary to available literature on nation branding, which treat the practice as an apolitical strategy aimed at promoting business internationally, the current paper, drawing on Foucault’s idea of governmentality, proposes an alternative reading of nation branding as a political technology that seeks to govern state subjectivity through the discursive production of a ‘nation brand’, a neo-liberal form of national identity. In doing so the paper seeks to theorise the emergence of the ‘brand state’ a particular form of neo-liberal state, to show how state is being reproduced and transformed under the conditions of globalisation. Nation branding as a political technology reproduces the primacy of nation states as the unit of governance in world politics while, at the same time, it defines economic imaginary as the primary language for articulating national boundaries. Exploring different instances of nation branding projects in India reveals how such practices have produced consumable images of Indian nation for the global market and reconstructed India as space of economic activity, the study build a narrative account India’s nation branding practices and the evolution of ‘brand state’. It argues that nation branding is not merely a communication strategy aimed to communicate desired national images to a global audience but more importantly a process and key discursive site of constructing national identity; in the Indian case, “Brand India” corresponds to the emerging Indian national identity since the post-1991 economic reform informed by the discourses of neo-liberalism.
One of the striking themes in contemporary South Korean foreign policy is a strong emphasis on ac... more One of the striking themes in contemporary South Korean foreign policy is a strong emphasis on achieving seonjinguk (advanced nation) status in international affairs, as articulated in the slogan 'Global Korea'. Engaging with the discourse of globalization, the concept of seonjinguk has provided Korea with an interpretive framework for discussions of its national identity and global position. The historical experience of Korea as a hujinguk (backward country) underlies the emphasis accorded to the goal of becoming seonjinguk. The article argues that the discursive practice of Global Korea was not merely a point of departure in Korean foreign policy but was also the key site of Korean national identity construction. Through an exploration of the historical context and diplomatic practice of constructing Global Korea, it illustrates the continuity and authority of the discourse of seonjinguk in interpreting and constructing Korean national identity.
Anybody who embraced the magic of information age hardly likely could have missed "nation" advert... more Anybody who embraced the magic of information age hardly likely could have missed "nation" advertisements like "India Everywhere", "Incredible India", "Australia Unlimited", "Sparkling Korea", Cool Malaysia etc. These nation advertisements could be aimed at either attracting tourists, investments or simply attention seeking. But this is quite a new phenomenon in which nations are becoming the primary object of projection in the global media, like it used to be products and companies. It is not an isolated phenomenon but becoming a widely accepted governmental policy of what scholars and politicians called "nation branding". What is it and what is it not is becoming an area of academic debate and has gained much attention in the subject matters of marketing, communication studies and lately in international relation. However the term has not yet conceptualized to a consensus level both in theory and practice. This lacuna of academic debate in understanding "nation branding' has generated confusion and has used perplexedly with 'public diplomacy'.
The Northeast Asian strategic order is undergoing a critical phase. The long held US–Japan–South ... more The Northeast Asian strategic order is undergoing a critical phase. The long held US–Japan–South Korea (ROK) security alliance is challenged by strained ROK–Japan relations and growing ROK–China relations vis-à-vis competition between US and China for influence in Asia. ROK is located at the middle of this strategic tussle and its role is pivotal in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Using President Xi Jinping’s July 2014 visit to Seoul as the background, this piece examines developments in ROK–China relations and its implications for the Northeast Asian strategic order.
The article documents the evolution of structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy throug... more The article documents the evolution of structural dimension in South Korean foreign policy through a study of middle power diplomacy in the post-2008 financial crisis period. This paper argues that middle power diplomacy, which propounds a global role for South Korea assuming leadership and substantially increasing international contribution is a paradigm shift in South Korean foreign policy posture, which until recently was limited to issues of Korean peninsula. Through the middle power discourse South Korea projects its role in the international affairs as a facilitator, interlocutor and norm entrepreneur focusing on international security, development and environment and is aimed at creating a space for Korean diplomatic entrepreneurism in the emerging international order.
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Papers by JOHN JOJIN