Navigating the Politics of Soft Power: Taiwan and Korea’s Regional Approach in Comparison

This article compares the ways Taiwan and South Korea have navigated the politics of soft power to gradually exert their influence in South and Southeast Asia. It then analyses Taiwan's self-declared ‘warm power' practices. The article is divided into five parts. The first highlights the conceptual evolution of soft power and new policy practices in Asia. The second discusses the transformation and strengthening from soft power to warm power. The third introduces South Korea's New Southern Policy through the lens of soft power. The fourth presents Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, and the conclusion compares the impact and prospects of the two.