Seoul: The military strike by the United States and Israel that concluded the 37-year rule of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has underscored a stark reality: the international system is increasingly shaped by power rather than rules. This operation follows earlier U.S. actions targeting Venezuelan President Nicol¡s Maduro, delivering a shock to the international community.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Trump administration's willingness to use force without congressional consultation or adherence to established international procedures highlighted an extreme form of "America First," signaling that military intervention could be pursued whenever U.S. interests are deemed at stake. Even if framed as the removal of a leader of a state accused of supporting terrorism, the episode has exposed what many see as a harsher global environment where legal norms and multilateral frameworks are giving way to unilateral action.
In his March 1 Independence Movement Day address, President Lee Jae Myung warned that international rules built over eight decades since World War II are now under serious threat from the logic of power. For Korea, whose security and prosperity depend heavily on stable alliances, trade, and global markets, unpredictable U.S. actions and the erosion of the international order pose a direct strategic concern.
The trajectory of the Iran crisis remains uncertain. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced plans to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments. If hard-line factions consolidate and pursue confrontation with the United States, the imbalance in conventional military power could shift the conflict toward asymmetric warfare, including attacks on U.S. interests in the Middle East and Europe, risking a prolonged war of attrition.
The Korean government must prepare for the potential impact of this crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Given the country's high dependence on imported energy, authorities should be ready to respond to a possible surge in oil prices and heightened volatility in global financial markets. That includes reassessing energy supply conditions, reviewing contingency plans such as the release of strategic reserves, and strengthening monitoring systems to prevent excessive capital or currency swings.
Managing risks related to the peninsula itself is equally critical. One major concern is how North Korea will interpret what it has witnessed. If Pyongyang concludes that regime survival depends on stronger deterrence after seeing a foreign military operation that resulted in leadership collapse, it may accelerate efforts to expand its nuclear capabilities and adopt a more aggressive posture.
There is also a risk that the U.S. approach in Iran, centered on decisive use of force, could send unintended signals that Pyongyang might use to justify provocations. Preventing such misperceptions will require careful diplomatic management and close coordination with Washington. Korea must strategically use its alliance with the United States while ensuring that its security and economic interests are not overly exposed to unilateral decisions by major powers. In a period of growing geopolitical turbulence, a pragmatic and disciplined foreign policy focused on national interests and risk management has become more urgent than ever.