Can an arms race promote stability? The inter-Korean qualitative arms race and US extended deterrence
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21620115 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hyun Ji Rim (0000-0003-1196-3147, Johns Hopkins University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 150-173 |
| Publication date | 2024-01-15 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Conflict Management (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1044-4068 • E-ISSN: 1758-8545 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/ijcma-12-2022-0216 |
| OpenAlex | W4387571479 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 35 |
Purpose This paper aims to provide a case study of complex conflict management within the arms race on the Korean Peninsula. Exploring the complex nexus of nuclear weapons, asymmetry and a qualitative arms race, the study explains how the arms race between Seoul and Pyongyang has promoted stability on the Korean Peninsula. Design/methodology/approach Presenting the limits of arguments that the US security guarantee is the factor that saved the two Koreas from going to war again, this paper explores the utility of the inter-Korean arms race as a stabilizer that promotes indirect negotiations. While presenting Korean anomalies, this paper analyzes the three stages of the inter-Korean arms race – especially its nuclear weapons, its asymmetry and the nature of arms races – and provides extant explanations on the causes and consequences of the qualitative arms race. These key elements drive the states’ strategic motives. Findings Using the case of the inter-Korean qualitative arms race and US extended nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula, the study shows the complexities of conflict management today. This paper identifies three contributing factors – US nuclear weapons, asymmetry and the qualitative characteristic of the arms race – to explain the enduring stability on the peninsula despite the arms race’s intensification. The paper finds that although US nuclear-extended deterrence plays a critical role, it does not capture the full context of the ongoing, dynamic inter-Korean arms race; a prolonged arms race between the two Koreas has become a new regularity; the qualitative characteristic of the inter-Korean arms race, which is driven by technological advancement, contributes to stability in the arms race; and as the constant mismatch in priority technologies becomes more severe, the changes to the existing asymmetry could increase instability. Originality/value This paper offers a diverse perspective to the literature on conflict management and captures the complexities of 21 st -century conflict management. Through a thorough examination of the inter-Korean arms race, it brings readers’ attention to the nested dynamics within the arms race and shows how an intensifying arms race can promote stability. Furthermore, the paper explains the implications for potential instability – fueled by the comprehensive mix of a dynamic qualitative arms race and the US extended nuclear deterrence – in the Indo-Pacific region
Arms control · Arms race · Business · Criminology · Deterrence theory · Development economics · Disarmament · Economics · Geography · International trade · Nuclear weapon · Peninsula · Political economy · Political science · Qualitative research · Small arms · Sociology · Engineering · Gender Studies · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Nuclear Issues and Defense
Countering the Risks of North Korean Nuclear Weapons
Perception and Misperception in International Politics
How the Weak Win Wars
The US role in Korean democracy and security since cold war era1
The Fourth Wave in Deterrence Research
What Do They Really Want
The False Promise of International Institutions
Reassessing the Strategic Balance
When speed kills
How does the offense-defense balance scale
Emerging technologies and strategic stability in peacetime, crisis, and war
Emerging technology and intra-war escalation risks
Extended deterrence and assurance in an emerging technology environment
The Second Nuclear Age
South Korea and the United States
Cooperation under the Security Dilemma
Game Theory and the Spiral Model
The Urge to Compete
The Arms Race Phenomenon
Declining Power and the Preventive Motivation for War
An analysis of responsiveness between nations
Threat-perception and the armament-tension dilemma
Security Guarantees and Allied Nuclear Proliferation
Bargaining, Enforcement, and International Cooperation
The Causes and Consequences of Arms Races
Arms Races and Arms Control
Arms Races and Dispute Escalation
Arms Races and Escalation
Reconfiguring The Arms Race-War Debate
Just part of the game? Arms races, rivalry, and war
The Outcomes of Military Buildups
Furthering the Investigation into the Effects of Arms Buildups
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2024 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |