Application of Morality and Justice in Diplomacy: an Analysis of South Korea – Kenya Relations 2010-2015

Abstract

There is no doubt in the fact that keeping peace and security, maintaining friendly relationship and attaining mutual prosperity in economics, culture, society and human right are core purposes in international relations. To achieve this purpose, the most crucial role should be performed by each state who is main actor in international relations. However, the reality is that each state has tendency to proceed to seek for each of its own national interest with first priority rather than seeking for the value of justice and morality. This makes a situation where there is always possibility of conflict and war. This phenomenon is due to the prevailing belief that international society is basically in anarchical status and unless a state attains power, it will be doomed to be subdued by other state. My proposal begins from the argument that although outwardly there is no complete form of global authority which can control each state‘s behavior to fulfill international peace and security, fundamentally and historically there has been certain regulating power which rules international society according to the justice. There is a well know bible verse that ‗…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.‘1 It also says that ‗Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.‘2 These verses of Bible gives us strong implication that any people and nation that seek for their interest by destroying other people unjustly will have due consequences. In the history, there have been many examples of nations that prospered according to their degree of justice and morality. Of course, morality and justice need to be defined properly when it comes to the level of international relations. Then finally, I will research how the element of morality and justice can be applied in the main function of diplomatic mission which is a main organ of diplomacy in each state, especially in the function of negotiation and protecting state‘s interest. The geographic scope will be Korea and Kenya relationship during 2010-2015.