Why the Republic of Korea Matters to the Nordic Countries

The global situation is increasingly insecure, with, among others, an unpredictable U.S. isolating itself from traditional allies, a Sino-American geopolitical struggle that threatens to destabilize international affairs. Both the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Nordic states are in this scenario, striving to reestablish collaboration with the U.S while also diversifying their relations to mitigate dangers to their national security by boosting cooperation with like-minded allies.

This Asia paper aims to highlight some current areas of cooperation with the intent of emphasizing the importance and compatibility of Nordic-ROK cooperation, which has remained relatively covert, as well as projecting the attractiveness of enterprises and government officials in the nations to foster more collaboration in areas of immediate synergies. We identify current synergies between the ROK and the Nordic countries in renewable energy, Arctic investments, technology, and defense cooperation. This study does not seek to offer a comprehensive list of cooperation, but rather to highlight impact and feasible areas of collaboration that can be launched in the near future.