As the European Union took shape, the need to similarly boost trilateral cooperation among South Korea, China and Japan emerged, alongside economic development in the region. On that basis, the three neighbors have expanded cooperation in the 2010s, holding multiple trilateral summits and seeking economic cooperation. However, amid global turmoil, territorial disputes and the COVID-19 pandemic, the relations have deteriorated. In particular, recent territorial disputes between China and Japan over Taiwan since last November, have made it harder for South Korea, as a so-called pivot country, to mediate the two nations. Also, the diplomatic tasks created by the United States-Israel war with Iran and economic challenges put South Korea to a test amid collapsing unipolar system led by the U.S. At a roundtable hosted by The Korea Times on April 8 and moderated by Hahm Sung-deuk, dean of Graduate School of Political Studies at Kyonggi University, experts in diplomacy gathered to discuss the event’s theme, “Trilateral Cooperation in an Era of Global Upheaval; How to Strengthen Trilateral
