Paper short abstract:

This study examines how the concept of resilience appears in South Korea's policy discourse through the lens of the policy transfer continuum. It also explores how resilience can be used for regional cooperation on sustainability issues amid global dynamics of sustainable development.

Paper long abstract:

The notion of ‘resilience’ has become increasingly important in global policy discourse, particularly in the context of addressing sustainability in development. In this regard, South Korea’s recent adoption of the term in its Indo-Pacific strategy earlier this year is notable, as it specifies the term resilience in its vision. The term appeared in the context of the country’s aim to reduce the global digital divide and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and health. In addition, the strategy highlights South Korea’s commitment to regional cooperation on climate and energy security through minilateral cooperation, with an emphasis on enhancing resilience. Witnessing such adoption of the term, this study explores the ways in which the notion of resilience has been translated and incorporated into South Korea’s policy discourse and aims to trace how its semantic understanding has evolved over time. By applying the case through the lens of the policy transfer continuum (voluntary-coercive transfer spectrum) by Dolowitz and Marsh (2000), the study seeks to shed new light on the country’s approach to resilience to better understand its unique characteristics. The study also expects to contribute by exploring how the resilience concept can be leveraged for regional cooperation amid the complex and politicized global dynamics of sustainable development.