THE INFLUENCING IDIOSYNCRASY FACTORS OF LEE MYUNG-BAK’S DECISION-MAKING IN MAINTAINING THE NORTHERN LIMIT LINE (NLL) TOWARDS PROVOCATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN THE YELLOW SEA (2008-2013)

Abstract

The Republic of Korea (ROK) is on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula where is located among the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, and The Yellow Sea. The Yellow Sea contains a long-disputed maritime zone with the Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK). The Yellow Sea is not only occupied by rival militaries but also visited by non-state actors so that increases the conflict inevitable. The conflict had happened through provocation activities such as ballistic missile launching and Northern Limit Line (NLL) exchange of fire that has done by DPRK, its presence has become a huge threat for the maritime defense of ROK position in the Yellow Sea. Thus, ROK realizes the existence of these provocations can be a major conflict especially in the region of East Asia. Thus, ROK tries to increase the maritime defense to affirm the position in the Yellow Sea under Lee Myung-bak administration. This thesis aims to observe how did The Influencing Idiosyncrasy Factors of Lee Myung-Bak’s Decision-Making in Maintaining the Northern Limit Line (NLL) Towards Provocation of The Democratic People Republic of Korea in The Yellow Sea (2008-2013. Involving theory of neo-classic realism, idiosyncrasy factors, and bureaucratic policy analysis for developing military exercise of ROK and limit the cooperation to DPRK. It will use the qualitative method and data gathering as the research methodology. This thesis discovers the positive result towards the maritime defense of ROK with reducing provocation activities of DPRK in the Yellow Sea.