Uk Heo is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and international scholar at Kyung Hee University. He is a co-author of South Korea since 1980 (Cambridge, 2010, with Terence Roehrig), the author of The Political Economy of Defense Spending around the World, and the co-author of The US–South Korean Alliance, 1961–1988: Free-Riding or Bargaining? His research interests are focused on Korean security and political economy, North Korean nuclear crisis, defense economics, and democratisation. His works have appeared in the Journal of Politics, the British Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, the Journal of Conflict Resolution, International Studies Quarterly, Comparative Politics, Comparative Political Studies, the Journal of Peace Research, International Interactions, Armed Forces and Society, Asian Survey, and others. Uk Heo received his PhD in political science from Texas A&M University and is a former president of the Association of Korean Political Studies. Terence Roehrig is a Professor in National Security Affairs and the Director of the Asia-Pacific Studies Group at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is also a Research Fellow at the Kennedy School at Harvard University in the International Security Program and the Project on Managing the Atom. He is the author of the forthcoming book Japan, South Korea, and the US Nuclear Umbrella: Extended Deterrence and Nuclear Weapons in the Post-Cold War World. In addition, he is a co-author of South Korea since 1980 (Cambridge, 2010, with Uk Heo) and the author of From Deterrence to Engagement: The US Defense Commitment to South Korea. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on North Korea's nuclear weapons program, Korean and East Asian security issues, the Northern Limit Line, the US-South Korea alliance, human rights, and transitional justice. Dr Roehrig received his PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and is a past President of the Association of Korean Political Studies.
'The scholarly and policy interest in Korea only grows as Korea's footprint on the global stage enlarges in trade, security, and transnational politics. The volume by Heo and Roehrig is a welcome addition to the field and will go a long way to satiate the thirst for scholarly and practical inquiry of Korea.' Victor Cha, Georgetown University, Washington DC 'No one can be considered an expert on international politics without understanding the dynamics of the Pacific Rim; no one can understand the Pacific Rim without confronting the meteoric, nearly miraculous rise of South Korea; and no one can understand South Korea's rise without reading this book. Quite simply the best analysis of an amazing story, and of its implications for twenty-first century politics and security.' Christopher J. Fettweis, Tulane University 'This book offers a comprehensive analysis of South Korea's growing role in the international community that reflects its enhanced power and status. It is a must read for those who wish to understand the complex and evolving relationship between economic development and foreign policy in Korea.' Gi-Wook Shin, Stanford University 'In the space of less than five decades, South Korea's economic growth has propelled not only its domestic democratization but also expanded the scope of its foreign relations from an obscure, small-scale follower to a country that has joined the ranks of leadership in the international community. This book fills a notable gap in the literature on South Korea by examining the origins, drivers, and effects of the flowering of South Korea's foreign policy that resulted from the country's economic modernization. The book clearly explains the significance of the shift from consumer to producer of international public goods that has enabled South Korea to develop a truly global foreign policy.' Scott Snyder, Founder and Former Director, Center for US-Korea Policy '… a coherent, structured and well-researched volume which offers a distinct contribution to these areas of study. The use of a theoretical framework throughout the book is particularly effective in this regard. As such, this book is poised to become a major contribution to discussions about South Korea's role in international relations and as a middle power.' Ramon Pacheco Pardo, International Affairs