Title page 1

Contents 3

List of acronyms and abbreviations 5

About the author 6

Abstract 7

CHAPTER 1. Introduction 8

CHAPTER 2. Historical context 10

Korea's independence and division 10

The Korean War and inter-Korean Cold War (1953-1987) 11

Inter-Korean reconciliation and détente dilemma (1988-present) 12

CHAPTER 3. External balancing strategies: international military cooperation and defense diplomacy 14

CHAPTER 4. Internal balancing strategies (1): establishing the effectiveness of the defense sector 17

Curtailing militarization 17

CHAPTER 5. Internal balancing strategies (2): accountability and democratic control of the armed forces 20

Strengthening accountability and democratic control of the military 20

CHAPTER 6. Learning lessons with a view of Ukraine's post-war Security Sector Reform 23

References 24

Table 1. Comparison of policies by periods 13

Table 2. Force structure of the two Koreas 18

Table 3. Change in regional and educational background of defense ministers 22

Figure 1. US Aid to South Korea and South Korea's cost-sharing for the USFK 15

Figure 2. The current ROK-US Combined Forces Command structure 16

Figure 3. Working age male population by year 17

Figure 4. Military expenditure and share of GDP by year (1993-2023) 19

Figure 5. Democratic control of the armed forces in South Korea 21