Pakistan's Diplomatic Balancing Act: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges During the Korean War

After a long struggle between the All India Muslim League and the Muslims of the sub-continent, Pakistan came into being in 1947 as a new Muslim country. Korea, meanwhile, had been under Japanese control since 1910. In August 1945, Japan was defeated in World War II, which resulted in the end of its rule over Korea. Three years after Pakistan's independence, in 1950, North Korea—supported by the USSR—attacked South Korea, while the United States decided to help South Korea. The Korean War was the first direct military conflict of the Cold War, taking place in what was then a recently divided Korea.

After Japan's defeat in 1945, the Soviet Union and the United States divided Korea into two zones along the 38th parallel: Russia in the north and America in the south. This division was similar in intent to the unification approaches used in Germany, and eventually, two independent dominions formed: the Republic of Korea in the south, supported by the United States, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, supported by the Soviet Union. In 1950, North Korea, backed by its allies, attacked South Korea. Later, China became involved, presenting a serious challenge to the United States and its ally South Korea, but eventually, the USA defeated the Chinese army. The Korean War ended in 1953, with the USA claiming victory and successfully maintaining its containment policy, as Russia failed to spread communism to South Korea.

Implications for Pakistan.

Pakistan's foreign policy was shaped by complex choices during the Korean War. It was a peculiar situation for Pakistan, as this event presented both opportunities and challenges. Pakistan joined the United Nations in 1947 and voted in favor of the General Assembly resolution that authorized the UN operation to defend South Korea. The United Nations asked its members to contribute to the action. Pakistan decided not to send military assistance, based on its own interests. This decision led Pakistan to build a foreign policy that focused on short-term goals. Later, Pakistan’s foreign policy became mainly West-oriented and West-dependent. Liaquat Ali Khan decided to accept the American invitation to visit Washington, ignoring an earlier invitation from the Soviet Union. The reasons behind Pakistan’s foreign policy remain relevant today, and people continue to debate why Liaquat Ali chose Washington over Moscow. Supporters of this decision argued that it was logical and in the national interest. Pakistan needed military help to match India, which was much stronger. At that stage, only the US could provide that help because World War II had just ended. The Soviet Union had suffered heavy losses in the war and could not help Pakistan.

Economic importance of the War for Pakistan

The Korean War had a profound impact on Pakistan's economy. Prior to the war, between 1947 and 1952, Pakistan's average GDP was just 3%. However, in 1952—following the outbreak of the war—the global demand for goods such as wheat, cotton, and jute increased. Pakistan benefited significantly, with its GDP rising sharply to 9.4%. Following the end of the Korean War in 1953, a worldwide economic slump ensued.

From the early days of Pakistan’s creation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder, made clear in his speeches that Pakistan wanted friendly and peaceful relations with all nations. The Korean War, which broke out in 1950, had a significant influence on Pakistan’s foreign policy. Pakistan allied with the USA but did not receive the expected levels of military and economic aid, making the US response appear doubtful and inadequate. Liaquat Ali Khan made a notable decision by refusing the American call for direct participation in the war. Nevertheless, the state’s economy received a boost from increased global demand during the war, which would have taken much longer to achieve otherwise.