Korea and the Middle East Turmoil: A Reassessment of South Korea-Middle East Relations

The turmoil in the Middle East ( Arab uprisings), which began in Tunisia and swept through Egypt, Syria and other parts of the Middle East, continues to destabilize regimes in the region. What are the implications of these new revolutionizing changes for the Middle East and for South Korean-Middle East economic, political, and military relations? The Middle East turmoil might have implications not only for South Korea but other nations as well. For example, if an uprising erupts in Saudi Arabia and oil prices soar higher, it will influence the global oil market. South Korea-Middle East relations have received less attention from the media and from researchers over the years than North Korea-Middle East relations, which focused mainly on the military trade and security cooperation between Pyongyang and the Middle Eastern states. This paper analyzes the changes in South Korea's Middle East policy since its establishment until the present. The paper sheds new light on the implications that the Middle East turmoil has on South Korea-Middle East relations.