When middle powers are caught in the middle

Differing middle power definitions present challenges in the long term

South Korea is set on a policy course that seeks to balance its economic relations with China and its security relations with the United States. Aiming for such a balance is understandable. China accounts for around one quarter of South Korea’s merchandise exports, and a fifth of its commercial services exports. More importantly, China is widely perceived as holding the key to relations with North Korea. The approach has now attracted the Biden administration’s attention.

This approach by South Korea in still seeking to balance China-US relations appears in contrast to that of Australia, which is now firmly positioned alongside the US. How do two seemingly similar middle powers end up on such a different strategic course?

South Korea is typically regarded as a “middle power”, so while it might seem obvious to say, one influence on this political balancing act is the belief within South Korean foreign policy circles that middle powers are states that are literally in the middle of two ex…