The stunted Regional Cooperation for Energy Security between Korea, Russia and Japan

Abstract

Regional cooperation in North East Asia is still mainly visible in pioneer projects. Especially the developed North East Asian countries seem to struggle to cooperate with each other. This thesis is to evaluate the stunted regional cooperation between the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and Japan on the example of energy security cooperation. The Russian Federation is a major oil producer, however has not completely engaged with all the North East Asian Nation in regular energy trade. The Republic of Korea as well as Japan both need to import almost 100 percent of their oil demand. Both countries are relying of resources from the Middle East and other geographically inconvenient as well as political unstable countries for their security related energy supply. The obvious question is: While the Russian Federation seems as an easy answer to the question from who to buy oil, the Republic of Korea as well as Japan where not be able to work together as importing countries and build successful cooperation

Why are those three geographically extremely close countries with a matching oil demand and supply equation not engaged in energy security cooperation yet? This thesis tries to analyze this question as well as provide a vast overlook over the cooperative situation for energy security in North East Asia in general by the different regional and international organizations and dialogues as well as an overlook over the energy situations in the respective countries. It furthermore tries to define the relatively new term of energy security to increase the understanding of the term in todays international relations. The thesis offers a summary of the offers and needs of the three respective countries in the terms of oil related energy security and suggests four main factors why they have not be able to successfully cooperate so far.