POLI 2503 The Geopolitics of the Korean Peninsula and the Great Powers

The Korean Peninsula remains one of the world's most consequential geopolitical fault lines, where the interests of the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and the two Koreas intersect. This course examines the historical, strategic, and contemporary dynamics shaping the Peninsula, with particular attention to its role in the evolving security order of Northeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific. Students will explore the legacy of the Korean War, the structure of the U.S.-ROK alliance, North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, inter-Korean relations, China's role in the region, and the Peninsula's place in intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition. The course will also consider South Korea's emergence as a major democratic, technological, and economic power, including its role in semiconductor supply chains, defense industrial cooperation, and regional security networks. Combining international relations theory with current policy analysis, the course will help students assess how great powers and middle powers interact in a region marked by deterrence, diplomacy, alliance politics, nationalism, and technological competition. By the end of the semester, students will be equipped to analyze major diplomatic, military, and economic scenarios affecting the Korean Peninsula and East Asian security more broadly.