Abstract
Despite the fact that South Korea, one of peninsula countries, has been already a middle power in an international arena, it still tends to get stuck in continental-driven inertia and be reluctant to become a consolidated maritime power. In its efforts to deal with the parable of South Korea, designing a tailored-made strategy needs to be initiated in detail. Its design is centered around two variables: classification of waters and prestige. First of all, the domain of waters confronted to South Korea ranges from the greatest threat to scattered national interest. Second, South Korea is prestigiously regarded as the middle power which is equipped with the capability to see beyond its sovereign waters. The Maritime Access Strategy(MAS) can be more clearly explained by three-axis factors: ends, ways, and means. Ends need to be oriented to achieving three types of classified objectives-Deterrence, Engagement around the world to maximize remotely-scattered interest and Check of neighboring countries' seapower expansion, called DEC. Ways is mainly driven by the closer access to three different types of waters: waters of security, check, and interest. The active access and closer approach to the domain of waters need to be maintained with a high degree of willingness and capability. Means is attainable by guiding naval forces to be armed with multiple platforms and functionally-balanced assets. These platforms and assets will allow the naval forces to attain and maintain cost effective means, leading to making MAS feasible. This strategy allows the middle-power Korea to make the best of its maritime assets at various seas, contributing to international stability as well as national security and interest.
한국은 지형적으로 반도국가이며 국제정치적으로는 중견국의 위상을 갖고 있다. 이런 유리한 조건에도 불구하고 아직도 대륙지향적 사고에 갇혀 있으며 이는 정교한 해양전략의 탄생을 지체시키는 걸림돌로 작용하고 있다. 이를 극복하기 위해 '바다의 유형'과 '위상'이라는 두 가지 변수를 이용하여 '해양접근전략(the Maritime Access Strategy)'을 제시한다. 나아가 전략을 구성하는 3대 요소-목표, 방법, 수단-을 이용하여 해양접근전략의 정교화를 시도한다. 목표 차원에서는 국가적 차원의 목표를 지원하도록 동기화가 필요하다는 전제에 주목한다. 더불어 다양한 행위자와 상대해야 함을 고려하여 억지(Deterrence), 관여(Engagement), 견제(Check)라는 소목표를 제시한다. 방법 차원에서는 기능적 균형화 작전방안을, 수단 차원에서는 기능적 균형전력을 제시한다. 해양접근전략은 다양한 바다에서 접근강도의 유연성을 갖고 맞춤형으로 다가가는 역동적 메커니즘을 품고 있다.