Navigating the triple dilemma: South Koreas trade disputes with neighboring countries in the era of politicized economic interdependence

During the past decade, backlash against globalization and greater pressures from zero-sum geopolitical rivalries have eroded the positive-sum model of global economic interdependence. With intensifying national competition, unilateral trade restrictions and tit for-tat escalations have increased dramatically. Decisions to frame trade issues as security concerns have led to grave apprehension in Northeast Asia, where mistrust among countries is already elevated. Nowhere is the danger from this heightened nexus between economy and security more palpable than in Seoul, which is living under North Korea's constant nuclear threats and the unresolved shadow of the county's Japanese colonial past. This chapter examines the developing characteristics of contemporary trade disputes and the strategic dilemma facing middle powers in this era of politicized economic interdependence through the lens of South Korea's trade spats since 2016 with its three major trading partners: China, Japan and the United States.