We are witnessing the birth of a new civilization, marking the end of the multilateral world order that has sustained us for the past 80 years. As of 2026, the world is entering a period of great transformation, transcending mere power shifts to redefine the very concepts of nationhood and alliance.

Specifically, the Trump administration's second term "Freedom Expansion" strategy is dismantling existing conventional diplomatic rhetoric, establishing a realistic world order by dismantling totalitarianism through tangible technological hegemony and overwhelming military power.

Amidst this turmoil, the survival prospects for China and North Korea, which have thoroughly suppressed the freedom of their people, are narrowing. Conversely, South Korea is presented with an opportunity to emerge as a sovereign nation of civilization by purging pro-North Korean and pro-China forces.

History has consistently proven that new orders arise from powerful external shocks when the contradictions of the old system reach their peak. The fierce struggle against anti-state forces currently unfolding within South Korea is an essential purification process for establishing a new national order. Only by navigating through this tunnel can we truly ascend to the ranks of a great power.

Through the Middle Eastern wars, we have demonstrated our potential as a global "technological arsenal" that can lead future arms supply chains. South Korea's defense industry can evolve beyond simple arms exports to a stage where it can contribute to the security systems of free world nations. For South Korea to become a multi-dimensional strong nation today, it must employ a strategy of "the strong survive," where both spirit and body are robust.

The "The Strong Survive" Strategy in the Dimension of Space

We must break free from the geopolitical prison of the Korean Peninsula and solidify our position as a security powerhouse in the Indo-Pacific region. To support this, we must invest nationally in cutting-edge technology fields that will determine humanity's future, such as semiconductors, quantum computing, and drones, which are our strengths. The technological achievements derived from this process will serve as a powerful engine for the dramatic growth of the civilian economy, transforming the nation's overall stature.

We must establish a security platform that combines K-defense industry with a 초정밀(ultra-precision) information network, secure information superiority and deterrence that makes enemy provocations impossible through an independent swarm of micro-satellites and a multi-layered defense system, and overcome the demographic crisis with defense technological prowess through the "Cheon-Ji-In" project, which harmonizes AI and human resources through US-South Korea technological cooperation.

The "The Strong Survive" Strategy in the Dimension of Spacetime Convergence

We must carry out a national grand transformation towards a free, unified Korean Peninsula by 2030, eradicating outdated, era-regressing ideologies and unproductive debates that were the weapons of the student activist movement. It is time to completely shed the remnants of pro-China subservience and defeatist sentiment towards Japan. Based on the realist insight of "the strong survive," which asserts that only strong power guarantees genuine peace, we must undertake historical decisions and bold actions for the future.

We must immediately devise energy security measures, manage northern resources with digital twin technology, research practical leadership in the Eurasian continental economic sphere, and complete a free Korean Peninsula supply chain hub by integrating advanced technologies. Through such three-dimensional design, we must launch a national project to achieve a free unification by 2030 and emerge as a pivotal global nation by 2040.

The "The Strong Survive" Strategy in the Dimension of Methodology

The card that enables the United States to overcome the immense threat of China is to create a "Free and Unified Republic of Korea." If we perfectly align our strategic interests with the United States, the free unification of the Korean Peninsula and our leap to becoming a global center will not be mere delusion but a destined future.

For the United States to choose a unified Korea as its key card for containing China, we must elevate our security value to the highest level, end partisan strife and internal distrust through a hack-proof, blockchain-based election system to maintain a stable and strong free system, and foster creative human resources that will lead world history.

At this historical turning point, we must devise various methods to overcome South Korea's economic risks amidst US-China conflict and become confident protagonists, not mere bystanders. South Korea must now prepare to write a new human history from the center of the world and simultaneously strive to confidently advance on the path of a great power.

The remaining task is to eradicate, with our own strength, the forces and inefficiencies that hinder national development.

◆ Park Pil-gyu

Editorial Board Member, Hankook Ilbo

40th Graduating Class, Korea Military Academy