Trans-Pacific View author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Dr. Guy Podoler – senior lecturer in Korean studies at the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Haifa and contributing author to “Israel-Asia Relations in the Twenty-First Century: The Search for Partners in a Changing World” (2024) – is the 433rd in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.” 

Examine Israel’s approach toward building relations with North and South Korea. 

It is interesting to answer this question from an historical perspective. Israel and the two Koreas were established in 1948. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, Israel moved away from its policy of non-alignment by showing support to the West and South Korea. It was a controversial decision – Israel’s left-wing political parties fiercely objected to this move, claiming Israel should identify with North Korea and its struggle against what they viewed as American imperialism. Regardless, while relations with South Korea were officially established in 1962, Israel still has no official diplomatic relations with North Korea. 

Relations with South Korea have generally been good and cordial, though they were sometimes affected by the Israeli-Arab conflict and Seoul’s interest in improving economic relations with the Arab world. Relations cooled down particularly in the 1970s following the 1973 Yom Kippur War and oil crisis. In 1978 Israel even closed its embassy in Seoul, though relations were not terminated. In 1992, against the backdrop of initial signs of a changing atmosphere in the Middle East, official relations improved – the Israeli embassy was re-opened in Seoul in 1992, and South Korea opened an embassy in Tel Aviv for the first time. Overall, since then relations have usually been good. 

Interestingly, Israelis and South Koreans officials and representatives like to point to historical and cultural affinities between the two peoples. Often mentioned are the respective long and turbulent histories, the high value attached to education in both cultures, overcoming the challenge of having no natural resources, and the facts that both states were established in 1948 and that they are both democracies. Although good for creating an amicable and pleasant atmosphere, it is difficult to see how this narrative has substantially and uniquely affected the relationship.

In the final analysis, Israel-South Korea relations have taken a pragmatic course, before and after the early 1990s. Pragmatism has also dictated Israel’s approach toward North Korea. In this case, an overt-covert dynamic is noticeable. Outwardly, the official attitude between the two states has been hostility. Yet a balance, or tension, exists between the overt antagonism and the covert attempts to interact. We now know about Israeli delegations that secretly visited Pyongyang in 1992-93, about meetings between the respective ambassadors to Sweden in 1999, and, reportedly, about the export of Israeli goods to North Korea. All attempts seemed to fail in making any significant contribution to the relations. 

Explain how the issue of Palestine fits into Israel-North Korea relations. 

Not only has North Korea identified with Israel’s enemies Syria and Iran, but it has also been actively engaged in arms deal with them while supporting other organizations posing a threat to Israel, such as Iran-backed Hezbollah. Iran, it should be reminded, denies Israel’s right to exist. 

In this context, North Korea has also been a long-time supporter of the Palestinian cause, apparently in this radical form that questions the legitimacy of the state of Israel. Since the 1960s Pyongyang has been providing military assistance and training to Palestinian organizations, including later to the terrorist organization Hamas, which, too, does not recognize Israel’s right to exist. With no official relations between North Korea and Israel anyways, the type of support provided to Palestine factors into Pyongyang’s overall extremely hostile approach.

Identify the key drivers of Israel-South Korea economic and security cooperation.

Economic cooperation has grown steadily since the early 1990s. Israel’s main imports from South Korea include motor vehicles and their parts, and electronic and telecommunication products and equipment. South Korea is particularly attracted to Israel’s military technologies and to its leading role in high-tech innovation and research and development. The two economies thus complement each other. 

To be sure, the balance of trade has been clearly negative for Israel and positive for South Korea. In 2021 the two signed a free trade agreement, making South Korea the first Asian country with which Israel has an FTA. There is a connection between economic and security cooperation. As North Korea is perceived a common threat, bilateral military-security relations picked up in the mid-1990s. Reportedly, in the mid-2010s Israel became South Korea’s third largest arms supplier. 

Analyze the role of South Korean Christians in Israel-South Korea relations. 

Christianity’s noticeable position in South Korea manifests in the fact that almost a third of South Koreans are Christians, churches are dominant in the landscape, and Christian activists are positively remembered as leaders of anti-colonial and, later, anti-authoritarian struggles. Accordingly, Christian pilgrimage has been a major part of South Korean tourism to the “Holy Land,” and it is common for Israelis who meet South Korean Christians to hear about their love and affection of Israel and the Jews. South Korean Christians initiate various meetings, events, and “friendship prayers” in both Israel and South Korea. 

Yet in the broader picture, it is difficult to see how the Christian factor has profoundly impacted the relations on the top official levels. Again, when we analyze events and periods related to Israel-South Korea relations, it is pragmatism, rather than sentimentalism or any other type of affection, that primarily sets the tone. And while the Christian element is apparent in the interactions, sometimes it is highly controversial, for example, when certain South Korean Christian groups wave Israeli flags in right-wing demonstrations in Seoul. 

Assess how the United States factors into Israel’s relations with North and South Korea.

Israel’s relations with South Korea usually take place without American involvement. Having said that, sometimes the United States plays a major role when it comes to Israel’s interactions with the Korean Peninsula, as Washington interferes and weighs in whenever it assesses its economic, security or international interests need to be protected. 

It is especially sensitive to any arms deal involving U.S.-manufactured components, and, as Washington is both Israel’s and South Korea’s most important and significant strategic ally, both countries cannot simply ignore its considerations. In fact, Washington intervenes in this context not only in Israel-South Korea interactions but also in arms deals these countries are negotiating with other potential buyers. 

Regarding Israel’s interactions with North Korea and American involvement, from what we know on the secret engagements in the 1990s, there is obviously a limit to how much Israel can advance – if at all – before discussing the matter with Washington and considering its interests. In other words, any meaningful advancement in Israel-North Korea relations would require Washington’s approval and cooperation.