By Pramod Sedhain.
Geopolitical significant of the Korean Peninsula
Rival imperialist’s ambition to control the Korean Peninsula has seen a history of confrontations. In fact, Korean Peninsula has been a historic war-point and the intention to control it has been the beginning of wider campaign to dominate the Asian region. Sphere of influence over Korean Peninsula since centuries has seen several direct clashes for geopolitical interests. Korean ground has witnessed history of China-Japan war, Russia-Japan War as well as U.S-China war serving various strategic purposes and historic engagements.
Peninsula’s geographical position has attracted great powers for geopolitical factors. Five thousand years long unified history has divided foreign geopolitical interest with same bloodline Korean people separating with each other each with a political and geographical boundary. Great historic empire’s power interest and ambition led to rivalry in Korea resulting to unexpected wars and destructions in the past.
We need to understand the history to better know the present significance of Korean Peninsula. Japan invaded Korea in 1592 and the military conflict ended with truce in 1596. After invading the newly unified Japan over Korean Peninsula, China involved in it. The Japanese were forced to withdraw. First military stalemate completed after a brief period of peace. Japan then invaded Korea in 1597 and withdrew in 1598.
Japanese withdrawal from Korean Peninsula happened due to the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in September 1598. But new governing body of Japan ordered to withdraw their force. Japan’s occupation was not only a threat to the Korean ruling dynasty but it equally worried China’s ruling future. Final peace negotiations took several years but these were in favor of both monarchies in Korea as well as China. Both the regimes were in favor of consolidating their power at home. Joseon Dynasty Korea and Ming Dynasty China cooperated with each other while Japanese supply lines and empire ambitions were jointly checked by both monarchies.
Empire Russia and Japan expansionist policy settled their first war in 1903 inking a negotiation. But the negotiation was not implemented. Both nations wanted total sphere of influence over Korean peninsula for their geopolitical interests. Russia did not want to leave their strategic navy and maritime trade through Korean port while Japan did not allow other to control its strategic water gateway. Control by the city of Port Arthur was the key reason for the immediate war that led to the Great Asian War of the 20th century.
After the collapse of Russia-Japan neutral buffer zone negotiation, a navy war broke out in 1904. Empire Russian legacy sharply damaged after it lost the Korean Peninsula war with Japan. Russia had a huge influence in the Korean regime. Therefore, it did not want any third country’s entry into its umbrella nation. Russia and Japan engaged in a costly and bloody war to control the strategic Korean Peninsula. Korea’s loss resulted to reassessment of Russian empire’s legacy and suffered a heavy price. Japan’s victory, on the other hand, proved its reputation worldwide. The war transformed the balance of power in East Asia and a new empire began from the Korean War.
This was the first time in the history that an Asian country defeated European power. Japan started its Asian empire from Korea. During the war period, Japan got the support from USA and Britain while Russia was backed by France and Germany. Russia had lost two of its three fleets. Only its Black Sea Fleet remained. American President Theodore Roosevelt’s mediation effort ended the war with Treaty of Portsmouth signed on 5 September 1905. Russia’s loss in Korean peninsula war ended in losing all its past glories, credibility and even led to domestic upheaval. Without controlling the peninsula, Japan’s operations capacity far from the border was impossible.
Japan established full control of all the territory and trade as well as forced the annexation of entire Peninsula in 1910. During the First World War, Germany defeated Japan taking the places from its sphere of influence and occupation in China and other Pacific territories. Japan’s 35 years colonial rule over Korea ended with the Japanese unconditional surrender on September 2, 1945.
In November 1943 Cairo conference, allied leaders’ committed that Korea shall become free and independent. But the war did not end here. Reoccupation of the Korean peninsula by foreign forces continued for their own geopolitical interests. New power emerged in Korea with United States and Russia trying to prove their influence. After America’s atomic bombing in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, Soviet Red Army immediately invaded Manchuria to support communist guerrilla. Soviet occupied northern half and later America entered the southern side with both agreeing to create the 38th parallel that led to formally separation of North and South.
An initiative to hold general and free elections failed because of the disagreements between Soviet Union and Unites States for their respective geopolitical interests. America and Russia did not want to form unified government thus forming two governments in the North and South, which led to their grip of influence. After the installation of the Pro- communist in North and Pro-West government in Korea, the Soviet Union troops withdrew in 1948 and U.S. in 1949.
North Korea made a surprise attack on South Korea for crossing the 38th Parallel on June 25, 1950. Communist troops swiftly took over the South’s capital and rapidly advanced to control the entire Peninsula. South’s army defeated the North’s troops was advance in all fronts included the successfully advancing the last port of Pusan . North’s high morale-forces quickly engulfed all the major areas.
The intervention immediately internationalized. Soviet and China backed the North and Western powers backed the South. Confrontations took place. US’s crossroads to counter the threat as well as no immediate contingency plan and strategy to counter the North invasion. During that period, America was more concerned on security and its presence in Europe rather than Asia. American strategic interest worried the world that it would create another world war from Korea. However, finally they decided not to underestimate the Communists and engaged in fighting to protect South Korea. Veto-wielding North’s supporter Soviet Union boycotted the United Nations Security Council since January 1950 and that was an opportunity to pass unanimously condemning the North Korean invasion on 25 June 1950.
Security Council’s Resolution 83 recommended military intervention to protect South Korea on 27 June 1950. Immediately after passing the resolution, U.S. President Harry Truman ordered U.S. air, navy and ground forces to counter North military. North supporter’s newly emerged communist China had no veto power during that time. United States fought in Korea to contain communism to protect their interest in the peninsula. Korean geographic position was strategically significant for America as well Soviet Union.
US force led the force of 15 nations against North Korea’s force. U.S-led coalition responded the North with full-scale heavy military hardware in air, sea and ground. The world, first time in its history, saw the first ever air-to-air combat in the sky. Chinese army supported North’s army since April 1951. North’s offensive began after getting Chinese support and Soviet weaponry. Bloody fight prolonged with neither side making a clear victory. However, the war ended on 27 July 1953 with the signing of an armistice. The armistice created the Korean Demilitarized Zone to separate the two nations. Since then, both the Koreas are technically at the state of war and both the nations competing to expand their military capability to counter each other.
Dozens of US military bases in South Korea have been closed but Cold War-era containment strategy is still alive in the peninsula with 28,500 U.S. troops still stationed there. The plan is to reduce the number of US force plan but strengthening of their operation capabilities, combat readiness and ultra modern equipment continues. US military is not only protecting South Korea but equally precious missile defense base of US military containment has been a strategy against China.
Wealthy South Korea may be capable of defending itself but US still bears security guarantee. South Korea spends its defense budget that is equivalent to North Korea’s entire annual GDP. However, U.S. military is equipped with Rocket Launching System to Air Force and Missile defense system, transportation, logistics, and other form of precious military capabilities in place. China has similar strategic concerns in North Korea. It fears that instability in Pyongyang could have direct effect its own security. China does not want regular US military exercises on the border and tries to preserve North Korea as its buffer to apply all options.
