| Summary/Abstract |
Since South Korea announced its plan to build an aircraft carrier, the country’s politicians, defence analysts and opinion leaders have engaged in heated debate. Supporters argue that Seoul’s new carrier will provide better protection of South Korea’s maritime interests and serve as a more credible deterrent against North Korea. Critics have raised concerns about the carrier’s cost, its strategic utility and the risk of entanglement in a US–China confrontation. The fate of South Korea’s carrier programme is likely to be determined by its level of parliamentary support, the outcome of the country’s presidential election and Seoul’s grand strategy.
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