Given its insecurity, a by-product of the Korean Peninsula’s long division, South Korea requires, above all, calm and steady partners. But frequent changes in US policy toward Northeast Asia in recent years have disoriented South Korean policymakers, while Chinese policy, though consistent, confronts South Korea’s leaders with choices that they appear unprepared to make.
朝鲜半岛的长期分裂让韩国得不到安全，因此对韩国来说，最重要的莫过于时刻准备着的冷静伙伴。但近几年来，美国东北亚政策变化频繁，这令韩国决策者无所适从；而中国政策尽管具有一致性，却让韩国领导人不得不面对尚未做好准备的选择。