In a referendum on June 23, 2016: 51.9 percent of the British electorate voted in favor of the UK’s withdrawal (Brexit) from the EU. The reasons are varied, and many were surprised by such ‘unintended consequences.’ However, Britain is setting a new global strategy to escape the regionalism of integrated Europe by choosing traditional ‘splendid isolation.’ Nonetheless, Britain could not immediately leave the EU; it must first conclude a withdrawal agreement in accordance with the procedure in Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. In this process, strong opposition within British society will pose great challenges, accompanying numerous other barriers to overcome. Following the Supreme Court ruling on January 24, 2017, the UK government recently completed the required parliamentary approval process before initiating Brexit negotiations with the EU. This paper concludes that Britain is indeed coupable of opting to return to nationalism based on sovereignty rather than peace, coexistence, and solidarity in Europe.

I. Introduction
 II. Why the British Want Brexit?
  A. A Love-Hate and Honeymoon Relationship
  B. Disapproval of the EU Bureaucracy
  C. Integrationism through the Expansion of Europe
 III. Issues Related to the UK’s Withdrawalafter the Referendum
  A. Legal Basis of the Referendum on Brexit: Article 50, Section 1 ofTEU
  B. UK-EU Relationship after the Referendum
  C. Possible Reversal of the Referendum Result by the UK Governmentand Parliament
 IV. Brexit: Implications for the Expansion andAdvancement of European Integration
  A. National Sovereignty v. the Exercise of the EU’s Competences
  B. Problem of Social Democratic Deficit
  C. Problem of “United in Diversity” v. ‘Europeanization’
 V. Conclusion

• Hyung Bok Chae(Professor of Law at Kyungpook National University Law School)