TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In the event of a conflict between Taiwan and China, South Korea should not intervene directly, but instead exert pressure on Beijing and provide assistance to the United States, according to a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

South Korea’s position is difficult, as China is its main trading partner, while it also faces a threat from North Korea, said Sungmin Cho of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS). In the CSIS podcast titled, “South Korea’s Role in a Taiwan Contingency,” he said Seoul might not intervene directly in a cross-strait conflict, but would provide assistance to the U.S.

South Korea’s position on Taiwan has gradually shifted closer to Washington’s views, moving from emphasizing regional stability to describing cross-strait relations as an international issue, Cho said. The comment elicited protest from China, CNA reported.

In the event of a crisis between Taiwan and China, South Korea should provide logistics support to the U.S., including missiles and assistance with evacuations. However, it must also design resilient policies, such as countermeasures in the event of economic sanctions by China, Cho said.

North Korea might take the opportunity to launch a war of its own against the south as a way of helping China, he warned. The government of Seoul would face a difficult decision on how to act in the event of a military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait, according to Cho.

The academic also expressed surprise at the results of an opinion poll by the East Asia Institute and the JoongAng daily published in August 2022. According to the survey, 22.5% of respondents approved of the South Korean military joining in U.S. action, while 42% said it should only serve as backup, and 18% opposed a role in a Taiwan-China conflict.

Cho expressed surprise at the high level of South Korean support for action. He said it might be the result of an anti-China public mood, or a realization of how brutal a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be.