Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

6-2026

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Program

Political Science

Advisor

Ming Xia

Subject Categories

International Relations | Political Science

Keywords

Geoeconomics, Grand Strategy, Neomercantilism, Weaponized Interdependence, Linchpin Strategy, Strategic Autonomy

Abstract

This study examines the evolutionary trajectory of U.S. geoeconomic grand strategy toward China from the inauguration of the first Trump administration in 2017, through the Biden administration, to the second Trump administration launched in 2025, while exploring South Korea’s survival strategies in response. The findings confirm that U.S. foreign economic policy has radicalized into "Expanded Malevolent Neomercantilism," which moves beyond simple protectionism to weaponize global economic networks in the name of national security and exploit even allies.

According to the analysis, the U.S. progressed from the "Malevolent Neomercantilism" of Trump's first term, which focused on trade deficits, to the "Developmental Neomercantilism" of the Biden administration, which prioritized technological hegemony via subsidies, and finally to the "Expanded Malevolent Neomercantilism" of Trump's second term, which combines universal tariffs with coercive subsidy renegotiations. In this process, South Korea, as an ally, has been captured within a coercive network hierarchy, facing severe structural vulnerabilities including a "Double Bind" and "Industrial Hollowing Out," ultimately resulting in the transfer of South Korea’s geoeconomic leverage to the hegemon.

Consequently, this study proposes a "Linchpin Grand Strategy" as an alternative for South Korea to transcend passive hedging and secure "Strategic Autonomy." This strategy involves establishing "Deterrence by Denial" to neutralize the hegemon’s economic coercion by seizing "Micro-Chokepoints" in irreplaceable, high-gap technologies within global supply chains. Finally, the study emphasizes that South Korea must transform from a "Rule-taker" into a "Rule-maker" that creates new strategic buffer zones through "Geoeconomic One-team" governance that integrates the state and firms, as well as through solidarity with like-minded countries.

Download

Share

COinS