Countries related to the Korean Peninsula are acting quickly to adapt to the changing international security and economic environment, and signs of a change in the strategic relationship and order among these countries are emerging. Yet South Korea's diplomatic efforts are invisible at such a critical juncture, a possible inflection point in the diplomatic landscape surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the United States which will start on April 27 has very important implications for South Korea. This day, the U.S. and Japan will hold a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers and defense ministers (2+2) to revise the U.S.-Japan defense cooperation guidelines in order to support Japan's exercise of its right to collective self-defense and to expand the range of Japan's military operations. Prime Minister Abe will also attend a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama on April 28 and is scheduled to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on April 29. Experts suggest that Abe will change the situation into one where the U.S. tolerates Japan's recent move towards the right along with its efforts to become a military powerhouse without any reflection on its past history with his speech before Congress, but South Korea finds itself with no other choice but to tag along for a stronger South Korea-U.S. alliance and cooperation in security with the U.S. and Japan in order to respond to threats from North Korea.

On April 23, a summit between China and Japan was held in Bandung, Indonesia, and it seems unusual how the China-Japan relations, which had once gone to the brink of an armed conflict, is showing signs of change. South Korea has constantly been in conflict with Japan ever since the inauguration of the Park Geun-hye government, and if relations between China and Japan warms up, our country's diplomatic foundation can shake.

In addition, North Korea's Kim Jong-un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea is expected to attend a ceremony celebrating Russia's victory in World War II in Moscow, Russia on May 9, which is likely to lead to a summit with Russia and with China. Inter-Korean relations are at a standstill, and a visible effort by the North to strengthen its ties with Russia and to resolve conflicts with China will only add to the burden on South Korea.

The situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula is thus fluctuating, yet President Park Geun-hye is discussing economic cooperation with Latin American countries, promoting South Korean culture trying to spread the Korean wave (hallyu), and attending meetings with overseas Koreans. Somehow her diplomatic efforts seem overly laid back.

One diplomatic source said, "The problem of placing the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system highlighted security conflicts among South Korea, the U.S. and China, and China and Japan have resumed contact with each other when a new 'honeymoon period' between the U.S. and Japan seems to be approaching. This is the most challenging situation in foreign affairs ever since the launch of the Park Geun-hye government. The people will be nervous for they cannot see any government strategy coping with such a situation."