The Place of Desecuritization in the Relations between South Korea and the Islamic World

South Korea’s relations with the countries of the Muslim world can be seen as having mutual and common interests for both sides. Relationships that are remarkable in the context of relations between a middle power and a great civilization, but in many cases have been challenged due to the considerations of great powers, especially the securitization of issues in the Islamic world. Accordingly, the main question of the paper is that, how do the securitization issue has affected South Korea’s relations with the Islamic world? And also how successful have been the efforts to desecuritize these relations? The research method is descriptive-analytic and documentary and reliable internet based sources have been used to collect the information. The findings of the study indicate that although South Korea’s relations with Islamic countries have been under the influence of great powers – especially the United States- in numerous cases, both sides have tried to along with maintaining their strategic ties with the great powers, facilitate the desecuritization of their relations by efforts such as developing public-cultural diplomacy, strengthening economic ties and interdependencies, and also adopting an impartiality or non-interference approach in each other’s affairs and crisis. Islamic countries and South Korea have tried to enhance their relations in different aspects including cultural exchange, economic cooperation and non- intervene approach toward each other that has contributed to the enhancement of their relations and also affected the securitized nature of their relations.