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    Non-Nuclear Threats to Nuclear Deterrence and Stability: The Case of South Korea

    Cover for Non-Nuclear Threats to Nuclear Deterrence and Stability: The Case of South Korea
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    View/Open: Ji_georgetown_0076M_14655.pdf (428kB) Bookview

    Creator
    Ji, Seiyeon
    Advisor
    Looney, Kristen
    ORCID
    0000-0001-9256-9453
    Abstract
    The United States’ most vulnerable allies in East Asia are beginning to rethink their security strategies. Historically, “nuclear umbrella” states in East Asia, or major non-nuclear U.S. allies who are threatened by the nuclear forces of regional adversaries, have relied primarily on U.S. extended deterrence to counter security threats. More recently, however, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan have begun to take advantage of new advances in manufacturing and satellite-based modeling technologies in order to independently develop, or consider developing, advanced military capabilities, which were previously only available to nuclear-armed states. In light of these developments, this research explores the implications of new and emerging technologies on nuclear deterrence and stability. It does so by examining why non-nuclear allies, who are guaranteed protection by the nuclear forces of a major-power ally, are seeking enhanced conventional capabilities. Using the Republic of Korea (ROK) as a case study, this project explores the question: why is South Korea, despite being protected by the U.S. nuclear umbrella, acquiring independent strategic military capabilities? I argue that South Korea’s decision to acquire independent strategic weapons is driven by its perception of the inadequacy of current forms of extended deterrence to ensure its security and that it allows South Korea to affect outcomes regarding strategic stability in the Korean peninsula. By extension, this research also argues that new and emerging technologies are offering non-nuclear allies like South Korea the means through which to reshape the asymmetrical relationship between the patron state providing extended deterrence and the client state, with implications for regional and international security dynamics.
    Description
    M.A.
    Permanent Link
    http://hdl.handle.net/10822/1059431
    Date Published
    2020
    Subject
    Alliance; Extended deterrence; Non-nuclear strategic weapons; Nuclear deterrence; South Korea; Strategic stability; Political Science; Asia -- Research; Political science; Asian studies;
    Type
    thesis
    Publisher
    Georgetown University
    Extent
    32 leaves
    Collections
    • Program of Asian Studies
    Metadata
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    Georgetown University Seal
    ©2009 - 2023 Georgetown University Library
    37th & O Streets NW
    Washington DC 20057-1174
    202.687.7385
    digitalscholarship@georgetown.edu
    Accessibility