TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Recent remarks by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (高市早苗) about Taiwan's security situation have heightened tensions between China and Japan, bringing Northeast Asia's geopolitical dynamics into sharp focus. However, South Korean media outlet JoongAng Ilbo (中央日報) warned on Friday (Dec. 12) that South Korea may also face a strategic dilemma in case of a military takeover.
JoongAng Ilbo mentioned that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called South Korea one of the model allies on June 6 and urged it to take a more active role in international affairs. JoongAng Ilbo noted that while the alliance underscores the protection of Taiwan as a crucial global semiconductor supplier, it also highlights the need for South Korea to assume more tangible responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is conducting war games for potential regional conflicts next year or in 2027, focusing on a Taiwan contingency. A report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission last month identified 2027, 2035, and 2049 as pivotal years for possible Chinese military action against Taiwan. Nonetheless, South Korea's government prioritizes diplomacy and coordination, maintaining a pragmatic approach. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung (李在明) emphasized a neutral stance to mediate between the U.S. and China, aiming to prevent conflict escalation.
President Lee expressed a low-key stance during a Dec. 3 meeting with foreign journalists, providing no additional details on the Taiwan issue. Many South Korean scholars explained that Korea finds it challenging to fully align with any side, a structural limitation Taiwan understands, thus not pressing Korea to play a larger role in the matter. They mentioned that if the U.S. requests that South Korea follow the modernization of the U.S.-South Korea Alliance, it would only facilitate possibilities of Taiwan Contingency to occur.
