The book’s authors analyze the challenges facing the Lee Myung-bak government and suggest ways to address them. Collectively, they sketch an overarching strategy that can ensure Korea’s security and prosperity. The scholars seek to formulate a new national strategy that takes into account the changes that have taken place in the domestic and international landscapes since 1987, the year Korea embarked on a path toward democracy. They are focusing on the key elements of Korea’s new strategy to safeguard national security, promote democracy and spur economic growth. The approach they suggest differs not only from the developmental state model followed by late President Park Chung-hee in the 1960s and 1970s, but also from its variants pursued by the succeeding governments.

Preface

Introduction 
Diplomacy in the 21st century

1. Global Diplomacy
․A strategy for Korea’s rising global stature
․Pragmatic realism: A key to managing relations with China
․Joint security vision will benefit Seoul, Tokyo
․Developing Seoul’s partnership with Moscow
․Korea-EU relations in the new political era
․Driving Korea-India ties on trade and investment
․Culture: The basis for ties with Middle East
․Evolution of Korean-Latin American relations
․Korea’s new global role
․A new national strategy for Korea: A middle-power vision
․Principles for Korea’s soft power diplomacy
․Striving for a foreign policy with dignity

2. South-North, Seoul-Washington Relations
․Welcome change in Seoul’s foreign policy
․Lee’s dilemma: Containment or engagement
․Carrots, sticks and North Korean human rights
․N.K. threats require deterrence, reconciliation
․No time for ‘business as usual’ in South Korea-U.S. relations
․Toward ROK-U.S. strategic alliance
․U.S. support needed to handle crisis in N.K.
․Building a peace regime and adjusting the UNC
․Seoul seeks flexibility on OPCON transfer
․Extending ROK-U.S. alliance beyond peninsula
․A pragmatic approach to ROK-U.S. ties

3. A New Development Paradigm
․Korea needs a new development paradigm
․Strategies for attracting foreign investment
․Creating a knowledge-based economy in Korea
․An external economic strategy for the future
․Korea’s options for coping with U.S. slump
․Essential elements of Korea’s energy diplomacy
․Korea needs environmental leadership
․Competition enhances firms’ competitiveness
․‘Reviving the economy’ by freeing corporations
․Helping corporations for the greater good
․Policies for balanced regional development
․Government reform: Evolution, not revolution"