The
‘New World Order’ which heralded the hegemony of the United States in
1990 with its attendant ascendancy of neo-liberal political/economic
architecture has consistently created tensions in East/West politics.
The recent diplomatic row between the United States and North Korea over
the latter’s quest for and eventual testing of nuclear war head in the
Eastern region has ushered in new trends in this age old geopolitical
alignments. The paper argues that the possibility of a nuclear state in
North Korea not only portends danger for their immediate neighbours like
Japan and South Korea, and by implication the rest of the world; but
will ultimately result in geopolitical re-configuration on the nuclear
status of the two countries. The paper adopts qualitative method of
enquiry, using textual analysis. It draws relevant insights from
secondary sources of data, anchored on realism as a theory of
international relations to test its main propositions. Findings show
that Japanese and South Korean states, which are currently on a joint
nuclear arrangement with the United States, may be compelled to
reconsider their options in the emerging realities of East/West
relations. Ultimately, the paper submits that the unfolding trends in
United States/North Korea conflict will initiate new dialectics of power
in East/West relations. The question is: will it be a ‘New World
Disorder’?
Keywords: New World Order; Emerging Trends; Realism; East/West Relations; New Geopolitics
Language
English
