Continued Entanglements Occurring in the International Order

[허만]

Continued Entanglements Occurring in the International Order—With Re-emphasis on  Diplomatic Negotiations

Professor Emeritus Mane Heo/Former President of The Korean Society of Contemporary European Studies.

Many continued entanglements in the international community have been occurring because of selfish views of national interests and security of countries. Most of continued entanglements result from the unstable international order status. They are interstate or intrastate uncompromising acts. They are used to pursuit of absolute evil. In many cases, they are thus taking place due to the lack of diplomatic negotiations that could successfully seek compromise or mutual understanding. 

As the first example of continued entanglements, the war in Ukraine, which has lasted already more than three years, still goes on. The war continues mainly due to the lack of compromise. For an example, the US, Russia and the UK failed to execute the 1994 Budapest Memorandum aimed at securing the peace and security of Ukraine in return for nuclear weapons in Ukraine to Russia. In this sense, the war is well termed an imperialistic war in the 21st century. In recent time, Russia hit a nuclear power plant in Zaporihzhia.  The hit risked to explore the nuclear plant. This is obviously an absolute evil.  Russia did apparently violate the Ukrainian territorial sovereignty and thus killed a large number of its people, including many cities in Ukraine.

As second example of continued entanglements, first started with its missile attacks, the war by Hamas already lasted three months. The war made inhumane acts that massacred many civilians. It has blocked hostages’ release—many civilians, children, and tourists-- over the last few weeks due to the lack of diplomatic negotiations. Qatar has been playing mediation with the intention of seeking ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Today, the war seems to extend to a proxy war between Israel supported by the US and Hezbollah supported by Iran. The proxy war is most likely to result in a fifth Middle East War which is sure to greatly damage world economy and global exchange network as well. From this point of view, diplomacy also failed to prevent tensions from rapidly soaring in the Middle East. Iran and Lebanon have formed a coalition against Israel’s preparedness of war.  Given this serious situation, however, Israel is ready to launch full-fledged attacks on Iran and Hezbollah. It now remains to be seen if Biden’s good offices aimed at  refraining from launching Israel’s attacks effectively works.

As third source of continued entanglements, the Korean Peninsula stands in the middle of entanglements. Among other things, armed with its imperfect nuclear weapons and modernized missiles, North Korea has continued to challenge South Korea,  its peace and security. Kim Jong-Eun declared South Korea only as a belligerent and the country no longer existent in the South. He appeared to make his mind  not to  talk any longer with South Korea, completely isolating his country under his personal dictatorial rule. In July, he demonstrated 250 artilleries loaded with 170mm caliber, with middle-firing range deployed in the front line.  In recent days, the North switched again to balloon attacks filled with wastes toward the South. This is nothing more than a demonstration of the frustration of his rule.

As to the last factor of ongoing entanglements, China’s attack plan on Taiwan should be seriously considered. Beijing has been used to say that China will be ready to liberate the Island the country until 2027. China seems to be resolute to liberate it by the force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The liberation strategy is the basic policy toward the Island from the times of Mao Zedong. The newly formed trilateral coalition supported by Korea, the US and Japan is in dire need to thwart an approaching Chinese liberation operation on the Island country. Once Taiwan is liberated, the US will lose its operational control of the South China Sea and eventually the large part of the South Pacific Ocean. It seems that China, fully armed with aircraft carriers and modernized middle and long-range missiles, will attack Taiwan.  Viewed from this judgment, a joint operation plan by the three countries will help maintain sustainable peace and security in Northeast Asia. Such an operation will also help operate the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. (TSMC)

The key instrument on this matter is to buildup diplomatic capability capable of narrowing down the sources of continued entanglements. Leaders of each country literally lack diplomatic capability to find pacific solutions to varied factors of continuous  entanglements. Writer tells you that many wars have occurred so far mainly due to the very shortage of diplomatic capability.  In other words, leaders of the past and modern times have had resort to war, with ease, as a means to forced solutions of them. In the modern times in particular, war is no longer a tool for solutions of them. It must, in short, be remembered that many modern wars were provoked amid the every lack of diplomatic negotiations and their skills.