The Different Choices of S outh K orea: Seeds of Discord of S outh K orea and US Relations

S outh K orea– US relations were a success story of international cooperation during the C old W ar on the basis of the robust bilateral alliance. In the post‐Cold‐War era, the security environment of the K orean Peninsula and the importance of the U nited S tates for S outh K orea's security are no different from that during the C old W ar. However, unlike the past, S outh K orea has not complied with US leadership during the K im D ae‐jung and R oh M oo‐hyun administrations, but has adopted policy opposed to that of the U nited S tates. This study started with the question of what variables explain S outh K orean policy toward N orth K orea in the K im D ae‐jung and R oh M oo‐hyun administrations and why S outh K orea has not followed the US leadership since the K im D ae‐jung presidency, unlike in the past. In order to answer the above puzzle, this study tries to analyze the puzzling situation with the feature of constructivism, such as the change of national identity. From this study, I found that generational change in S outh K orea from the K orean W ar generation to the 386 and I nternet generations played an important role in the change of S outh K orean national identity. Also, S outh K orean younger generations' voting behavior has affected S outh K orean engagement policy in the K im D ae‐jung and R oh M oo‐hyun administrations.