Emerging Actors in the Women, Peace and Security Agenda: South Korea and Japan

Since the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on 31 October 2000, global efforts to promote and develop the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda have been ongoing. Thus far, however, the perspective of traditional Western donors in the global North has been at the centre of the discussion. By contrast, and despite their growing importance as donors, South Korea and Japan are often absent from the policy discussions.

This paper aims to increase understanding of how South Korea and Japan engage with the WPS agenda. It examines their legal and policy structures, as well as the two countries’ financial inputs into and implementation of the WPS agenda using the three major areas of international cooperation as a framework: development cooperation, humanitarian assistance and peace operations.