South Korea's Rise

South Korea's phenomenal rise has been studied extensively by political scientists and economists both in terms of its impact on democratisation and as a role model for economic development. Yet little attention has been devoted to exploring the nexus between economic development and foreign policy. In South Korea's Rise, Uk Heo and Terence Roehrig propose a new theoretical framework to illustrate how an increase in a country's economic prosperity can bring about change to its foreign policy, prompting greater involvement in the international system, the transition to democracy, an expanded set of interests and increased tools to pursue its foreign policy goals. As a rising middle power, analysis of South Korea's foreign policy is crucial to our understanding of the power structure and future relations in East Asia. This is essential reading for all students and scholars with an interest in Asia, foreign policy and global economics.

Uk Heo is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and international scholar at Kyung Hee University. He is a co-author of South Korea since 1980 (Cambridge, 2010, with Terence Roehrig), the author of The Political Economy of Defense Spending around the World, and the co-author of The US–South Korean Alliance, 1961–1988: Free-Riding or Bargaining? His research interests are focused on Korean security and political economy, North Korean nuclear crisis, defense economics, and democratisation. His works have appeared in the Journal of Politics, the British Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, the Journal of Conflict Resolution, International Studies Quarterly, Comparative Politics, Comparative Political Studies, the Journal of Peace Research, International Interactions, Armed Forces and Society, Asian Survey, and others. Uk Heo received his PhD in political science from Texas A&M University and is a former president of the Association of Korean Political Studies.

Terence Roehrig is a Professor in National Security Affairs and the Director of the Asia-Pacific Studies Group at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is also a Research Fellow at the Kennedy School at Harvard University in the International Security Program and the Project on Managing the Atom. He is the author of the forthcoming book Japan, South Korea, and the US Nuclear Umbrella: Extended Deterrence and Nuclear Weapons in the Post-Cold War World. In addition, he is a co-author of South Korea since 1980 (Cambridge, 2010, with Uk Heo) and the author of From Deterrence to Engagement: The US Defense Commitment to South Korea. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Korean and East Asian security issues, the Northern Limit Line, the US-South Korea alliance, human rights, and transitional justice. Dr Roehrig received his PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and is a past President of the Association of Korean Political Studies.