The Evolution Of The South Korea Us Alliance

A comprehensive look at the role of history, economics, security, threat perception, and domestic politics in the South Korea-United States alliance.

"This book explains in full detail the blood-shared alliance between the ROK and the United States that started with the Korean War; the Mutual Defense Treaty that was concluded in the face of opposition to a ceasefire; the aid and grants from the United Nations and the United States for Korea's postwar reconstruction; the operation of the ROK-US security consultative meetings for the development of the ROK-US alliance; and the military provocations of North Korea and the development of the ROK-US Combined Defense System. It also provides in-depth analysis of the process of reduction of U.S. troops stationed in Korea according to changes of U.S. foreign policy toward the ROK; the dispatch of troops overseas and the ROK-US alliance; the North Korea nuclear crisis and the six-party talks; the spirit of the alliance that has endured over the last six decades; and the transition of the wartime operations control and the readjustment of the U.S. Forces in Korea"--P. [10-11].

How can the United States and South Korea best co-operate to address new security challenges? Can the US-ROK alliance serve to advance South Korea's interests and at the same time help the US to more effectively pursue its own global and regional security objectives? In the context of these questions, the authors explore the possibilities for enhanced co-operation in both traditional and non-traditional spheres.

Against the backdrop of China’s mounting influence and North Korea’s growing nuclear capability and expanding missile arsenal, South Korea faces a set of strategic choices that will shape its economic prospects and national security. In South Korea at the Crossroads, Scott A. Snyder examines the trajectory of fifty years of South Korean foreign policy and offers predictions—and a prescription—for the future. Pairing a historical perspective with a shrewd understanding of today’s political landscape, Snyder contends that South Korea’s best strategy remains investing in a robust alliance with the United States. Snyder begins with South Korea’s effort in the 1960s to offset the risk of abandonment by the United States during the Vietnam War and the subsequent crisis in the alliance during the 1970s. A series of shifts in South Korean foreign relations followed: the “Nordpolitik” engagement with the Soviet Union and China at the end of the Cold War; Kim Dae Jung’s “Sunshine Policy,” designed to bring North Korea into the international community; “trustpolitik,” which sought to foster diplomacy with North Korea and Japan; and changes in South Korea’s relationship with the United States. Despite its rise as a leader in international financial, development, and climate-change forums, South Korea will likely still require the commitment of the United States to guarantee its security. Although China is a tempting option, Snyder argues that only the United States is both credible and capable in this role. South Korea remains vulnerable relative to other regional powers in northeast Asia despite its rising profile as a middle power, and it must balance the contradiction of desirable autonomy and necessary alliance.

"Bringing a fresh perspective to an understudied area, this book offers a critical, source-based examination and assessment of the roles of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (KPG) and the United States during WW2 in the rebirth of Korea as a nation state. Presenting original research from contemporary Korean and American sources, the first half of this book explores how the US policy regarding the independence of the Korean peninsula was articulated by the US, and how it aimed to prevent the domination of Korea by either China or the Soviets. Chapters 4-5 introduce the US's policy of utilizing Korean soldiers on the battlefield against Japan, and examines whether the KPG's strategies of military diplomacy were effective or otherwise. Finally, chapter 6 assesses the impact of the joint military training for the "Eagle Project" involving the Korean independence Army and the US Office of Strategic Services, and its impact on the development of the US-South Korea alliance. Throughout the book, parallels can be drawn from this geopolitical struggle with a more contemporary one - that between China and the US, which shows how the lessons learned in the 1940s are just as relevant to researchers and policy-makers today. This is an illuminating read for students and scholars of Korean modern history, political science, and geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific region more generally. The book will also appeal to public servants in the area of foreign affairs and military strategy"--

The principal focus of the papers collected in this book is the Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. alliance and the challenges it faces from tensions within the alliance, the effects of the alliance partners' interaction with North Korea, and the economic pressures that affect the alliance. These papers were presented at the 16th Annual Conference of the Council on U.S.-Korea Security Studies in October 2001. Because of the elapsed time, the reader could be tempted to think that the events since these papers were presented have overtaken the arguments of the presenters. This is far from the truth. Each of these papers reflects the enduring historical forces, geopolitical realities, and national interests that affect Northeast Asia, the Korean peninsula, and the ROK-U.S. alliance. The descriptions of the alliance mechanisms, the Armistice machinery, the Agreed Framework, and the economic imperatives that affect the alliance thus have continuing value. The policy recommendations are still germane and worthy of the consideration of those to whom the future of the alliance is entrusted.