Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War , ROK's diplomacy has been subjected to a painful choice between ideal and reality.On the One hand , ROK is obsessed by the North process of unification;on the other it is bogged down by the Korean nuclear issue and the U. S. South Korean cold war alliance and cannot get out of the shadow of the cold war system on the Korean Peninsula. In March 2005 , President Roh Moo-Hyun put forward the idea that ROK should play the role of“regional balancer”, an attempt to break away from the“ideal-reality”diplomatis dilemma.However , in the face of st rong internal reaction and pressure f rom international opinion headed by the United States , he has to chnage course. Obviously ,“regional balancer”is not the appropriate role for South Korea to play. This paper analyses the cont radiction of ROK's diplomacy between ideal and reality in terms of South Korea—U.S.relations , South Koreaps—China relations , South Korea—Japan relations and relations between Noth and South Koreas. The paper holds that ROK's diplomacy swinging between ideal and reality is actually the result of the trial of forces of ideal and reality in the fields of security , politics , economy and culture.

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