ASST 536 - Korea-Japan Relations

 Japan-South Korea relations in recent decades have involved a cyclical pattern, with tensions periodically rising over historical issues and later subsiding as leaders in Tokyo and Seoul shift attention to cooperation in the economic and security spheres. The trajectory of this relationship has critical implications - shaping the options and responses of regional powers to issues ranging from North Korea’s nuclear program to the rise of China to the role of the United States in the region. This course aims to provide students with a firm empirical understanding of the historical, political, economic, and security-related factors that affect this relationship, as well as the ability to use various theoretical lenses to assess past and future trends. It begins with a brief historical review of Japan-Korea relations, followed by a topical overview of major issues that have driven dynamics of both cooperation and conflict between these countries. It later considers the utility of various theoretical approaches to explain specific case studies in the recent history of the relationship, ranging from flare-ups over disputed islands to phases of expanded economic and security cooperation.