This volume details how the diplomatic successes of South Korean presidents removed the country from the international isolation it experienced in the aftermath of the Korean War and also provided the necessary international connections for the expansions of international trade it experienced. Patterson and Choi explain how diplomacy then was the primary process that allowed for the successful implementation of South Korea's export-led economic development strategy which in turn led to the rapid growth that allowed it to eventually the internationally influential actor it is today
Dennis Patterson is professor at Texas Tech University. Jangsup Choi is associate professor of political science at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Chapter 1: South Korea's Post-Armistice Rise to Prosperity and International Influence Chapter 2: Diplomacy and International Trade in South Korea's Transformation Chapter 3: Cold War Diplomacy and the Origins of South Korea's International Rise Chapter 4: Post-Cold War Diplomacy and the Path to International Influence Chapter 5: Trade, Diplomacy and South Korea's Economic Development Chapter 6: Diplomacy, Economic Development, and South Korea's Rise to International Influence Chapter 7: The Present and Future of South Korea's International Influence
"Patterson and Choi have written an outstanding book that argues a crucial connection between the vital role South Korean diplomacy played in its economic development story. This study makes an important argument that an overlooked variable of South Korea's rise was deft diplomacy in its early years that helped provide the foundation for its amazing record of export-led development. The book is a must-read for those who study South Korean political economy." -- Terence Roehrig, United States Naval War College "In Diplomacy, Trade, and South Korea's Rise to International Influence, Dennis Patterson and Jangsup Choi offer an insightful and creative analysis of South Korea's diplomatic achievements. Unlike most studies that see development in South Korea's diplomatic relations simply as a byproduct of its economic miracle, Patterson and Choi emphasize the significance of diplomatic efforts as an independent factor in South Korea's rise into a middle power. Their innovative analysis contributes to the literature of South Korean foreign relations and is undoubtedly a must-read for scholars as well as policymakers." -- Min Ye, Coastal Carolina University
