The Marine Cooperation between Korea and China as a Policy Network: Focusing on the Maritime Boundaries

Abstract

This study sheds light on what forms have been developed to institutionalized collaboration over both governments over the maritime boundaries between Korea and China, private maritime cooperation, and the policy network. The focus of this study is to analyze the governments and the main areas and actors of the cooperation of private organizations through the concept of the policy network and suggests the policy measures for the association. Specifically, the process of discussion or policy implementation related to the maritime cooperation between Korea and China led to the following results. First, the maritime cooperation between Korea and China has been promoted by regular conferences and accords between both governments. The discussion of the maritime cooperation between both countries has been diversified in areas and objects, such as regular conferences for the maritime boundaries, and the debate being prompted for the maritime business, science, technologies, nature, and environmental cooperation. Second, the various associates not only the central government but also non-government and private organizations have attempted to seek marine cooperation. According to the private marine organizations, they established marine cooperation comprehensively through long-term joint research and interactions between researchers. This is because private cooperation including the governments has prompted multilateral cooperation and manifested the specific outcomes in the marine science-technology. In other words, this study argues that it is needed to establish a mid-to-long-term and comprehensive maritime government, noting that the areas and actors in marine cooperation in government and private organizations are diversified.