Even during the '60s and '70s, when the government was essentially a military dictatorship, ties with the West remained strong. With the establishment in the late 1980s of a government again controlled by civilians, international ties became only stronger and broader.
International cooperation is a major diplomatic goal.
South Korea even established diplomatic relations with mainland China in 1992. The outstanding exception to good international relations for South Korea is North Korea. Negative attitudes toward the North are still prevalent in large segments of South Korea's society. In order to protect itself, South Korea maintains an armed force of over 600,000 military personnel, distributed through an army, navy, and air force. Equipment and training are kept to the highest modern standards.