Between Ally and Partner - by Jae Ho Chung (Paperback)

About the Book

The accumulation of more than fifteen years of research, Between Ally and Partner reconstructs a comprehensive portrait of Sino-Korean rapprochement and examines the strategic dilemma of China's rise for South Korea and its alliance with the United States. Jae Ho Chung makes use of declassified government archives, internal reports, and opinion surveys and conducts personal interviews with Korean, Chinese, and American officials and experts. Thoroughly investigated and clearly presented, this book answers critical questions concerning what kept China and South Korea talking and how enmity was transformed into a zeal for partnership. The implications of Sino-Korean relations go far beyond the Korean Peninsula. The dilemma that South Korea now faces has crucial ramifications for many countries in Asia, where attempts to counterbalance China have been rare.

Book Synopsis

China and South Korea have come a long way since they were adversaries. The arc of their relationship since the late 1970s is an excellent model of East-West cooperation and, at the same time, highlights the growing impact of China's "rise" over its regional neighbors, including America's close allies.

South Korea-China relations have rarely been studied as an independent theme. The accumulation of more than fifteen years of research, Between Ally and Partner reconstructs a comprehensive portrait of Sino-Korean rapprochement and examines the strategic dilemma that the rise of China has posed for South Korea and its alliance with the United States. Jae Ho Chung makes use of declassified government archives, internal reports, and opinion surveys and conducts personal interviews with Korean, Chinese, and American officials. He tackles three questions: Why did South Korea and China reconcile before the end of the cold war? How did rapprochement lay the groundwork for diplomatic normalization? And what will the intersection of security concerns and economic necessity with China mean for South Korea's relationship with its close ally, the United States?

The implications of Sino-Korean relations go far beyond the Korean Peninsula. South Korea was caught largely unprepared, both strategically and psychologically, by China's rise, and the dilemma that South Korea now faces has crucial ramifications for many countries in Asia, where attempts to counterbalance China have been rare. Thoroughly investigated and clearly presented, this book answers critical questions concerning what kept these two countries talking and how enmity was transformed into a zeal for partnership.

Review Quotes

[An] excellent and pioneering study... [that] will remain a very useful study for a long time.--Chae-Jin Lee "China Quarterly"

An important contribution to the understanding of the Sino-South Korean relationship and the implications for US policy.--Heike Hermanns "The China Journal"

An important contribution... well researched and clearly written.--Qiang Zhai "China Information"

Chung provides a sweeping overview of the past, present, and future of the Sino-Korean relationship.--J. J. Suh "Journal of Asian Studies"

Chung writes with directness and clarity, moving smoothly between coverage of S. Korea's bilateral relations with both China and the United States.--James Matray "The International History Review"

Imposing clarity upon the cluttered chessboard of contemporary North-east Asian geopolitics is a daunting proposition, but one at which Jae Ho Chung effortlessly succeeds in his book, Between Ally and Partner.--Adam Cathcart "Korean Studies"

Invaluable contribution to our thin understanding of the comprehensive structure of Korea-China relations.-- "China Review International"

This book offers a refreshingly original, detached, non-American (South Korean) perspective... [and] should be considered required reading.--Samuel S. Kim "Pacific Affairs"

About the Author

Jae Ho Chung is professor of international relations and director of the Institute for China Studies at Seoul National University. He is the author or editor of ten books, including Central Control and Local Discretion in China, Provincial Strategies of Economic Reform in Post-Mao China, and Charting China's Future.