Relationship dossier
Myanmar
South Korea
Relationship assessment
Economic cooperation alongside political strain over Myanmar’s 2021 military coup
Myanmar toward South Korea
+15Myanmar concluded a bilateral investment protection agreement with South Korea, providing a concrete framework for economic cooperation.
South Korea toward Myanmar
-5Following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, South Korea announced restrictions on defense exchanges and arms exports and a review of development assistance.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship has included a formal framework for investment cooperation, while South Korea’s response to the 2021 coup created a significant political constraint. Available facts support a mixed assessment, but the scope and durability of economic cooperation and subsequent government engagement are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Myanmar and South Korea have had concrete economic cooperation, including a bilateral investment protection agreement. South Korea’s response to Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, including restrictions on defense exchanges and arms exports and a review of development assistance, added significant political strain. The extent and implementation of bilateral cooperation beyond these measures are unclear.
Areas of tension
- South Korean opposition to Myanmar’s 2021 military coup and its response to the ensuing political crisis
Key developments
Myanmar and South Korea concluded a bilateral investment protection agreement.
South Korea announced restrictions on defense exchanges and arms exports to Myanmar and a review of development assistance following the military coup.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral investment and development cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of Myanmar government engagement with South Korea following the 2021 coup is unclear.