Kim Woo-sang
The author is an emeritus professor of political science and diplomacy at Yonsei University and former president of the Korea Foundation.
Recently, the bustling city of Montreal, Canada, played host to the remarkable three-day Korea-Canada Forum, orchestrated by the Seoul Forum for International Affairs (SFIA), marking its 21st iteration from October 24. This eminent gathering, characterized as a 1.5-track conference, forged connections between diplomats and astute scholars of international relations from the realms of Korea and Canada—two quintessential middle powers—engaging in fervent discussions on pressing global issues. Notably, the forum served as a crucial platform for deliberating on the Group of Seven (G7) Plus agendas, especially pertinent as Canada prepares to assume the G7 presidency next year.
According to established diplomatic frameworks, a nation may achieve middle-power status by satisfying any one of four distinct criteria. These stipulations include: possessing significant relative national power within the global landscape, demonstrating respect for humanitarian principles and the rule of law, actively engaging in multilateral efforts aimed at fostering international peace, or holding notable geopolitical significance. Essentially, many liberal democracies can rightfully claim this status.
Yet, a select cohort of middle power nations stands apart, commanding the ability to engage with and influence major global matters alongside the great powers. Among these pivotal players are Canada, a proud member of the G7, as well as Australia, India, Indonesia—key figures in the G20—and several influential European nations such as the Netherlands and Spain. South Korea, proudly counted amongst the “30-50 Club,” boasting a GDP exceeding $30,000 coupled with a population surpassing 50 million, is equally recognized as a crucial middle power. These nations are unwavering in their commitment to liberal democratic ideals, human rights, and gender equality. They staunchly advocate for global peace through collaborative multilateral platforms while undertaking paramount roles in crafting and upholding new international norms and legal frameworks. The collective clout of these nations enables them to significantly sway regional dynamics.
As pivotal middle powers, it is imperative that they do not turn a blind eye to the intense U.S.-China hegemonic rivalry. They cannot lean on a cumbersome and ineffective mega-multilateral structure; instead, they must assertively engage in smaller, more agile multilateral coalitions that empower them to counterbalance the aspirations of larger powers and champion the interests of smaller, vulnerable nations as circumstances necessitate.
The Korea-Canada Forum plunged into an array of critical issues that resonate profoundly in today’s geopolitical climate. Participants united in their assessment of China’s aggressive maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, alongside the troubling potential escalation of the conflict in Ukraine exacerbated by North Korea’s illicit troop deployments to Russia. Such developments present staggering geopolitical threats to the Indo-Pacific region, compelling robust discourse on cooperative measures aimed at preserving stability in the Taiwan Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and effectively deterring North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and proliferation.
Moreover, a consensus emerged regarding the urgent need for enhanced collaboration within the defense sector, advocating for Canada’s involvement in the United Nations Command stationed in South Korea. Conversations flourished around naval cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, bolstering foreign and defense ministerial dialogues between the two nations, as well as fostering cybersecurity partnerships.
On the climate front, both nations underscored the vital necessity of collaboration in clean energy initiatives, small modular reactors, electric vehicle battery technologies, and stable supply chains for rare earth minerals. Participants also deliberated on invigorating high-level economic and security dialogues to bolster the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2022, alongside supporting the Korea-Canada Year of Cultural Exchange, which commenced this year.
Academically, the Canadian delegates spotlighted the vast potentials for synergistic scientific, technological, strategic, and economic collaborations between the respective space agencies of both nations, aimed at propelling the burgeoning space industry. Conversely, the Korean representatives emphasized the critical importance of incorporating pivotal middle power nations, such as South Korea and Australia, into the G7 framework. An acknowledgment was reached regarding South Korea’s capacity to substantially contribute to global stability and prosperity if it were to join the ranks of the G7+.
Nevertheless, the landscape of global governance faces profound challenges. The United Nations Security Council, once a bastion of global security cooperation, appears increasingly dysfunctional, hamstrung by repeated vetoes from China and Russia. Concurrently, the World Trade Organization struggles under the pressures of the escalating U.S.-China trade war, accompanied by a waning influence of the United States as a pivotal player. The G20, too, is faltering amid the clashing interests of its member nations. The evidential decline of robust global governance is glaringly apparent.
Given this precarious juncture, the necessity for fostering bilateral and multilateral institutions among pivotal middle powers becomes ever more pressing. Notably, the forthcoming G7 summit, helmed by Canada next year, presents a critical opportunity for collaboration. With the Korea-Canada Forum as a backdrop, there lies profound hope for rejuvenating the global governance role of the G7—composed of advanced liberal democracies—and for the expansion of this group to embrace pivotal middle powers like South Korea and Australia as esteemed new members.
Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
