Anti-American Sentiment and the ROK-US Alliance

Abstract

Abstract The South Korean people are in a dilemma, not knowing whether to choose between their “brothers” in the North who have shared blood, and their “friends” across the Pacific who shed blood with them during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In this context, the United States sees that the ROK-US alliance is facing two major challenges: one from North Korea s tactics to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington, and the other from South Korea s anti-American sentiment and potential demands for the withdrawal of US troops. South Korea and the United States should thus prepare for the future of their alliance. The vision will be a “comprehensive ROK-US alliance.” On the basis of a durable alliance based on their common allegiance to democracy and the market economy, South Korea and the United States should strive to develop a mature partnership, besides effective policy coordination on North Korea. Only when South Korea tries its utmost to develop an alliance that includes human security and economic cooperation, can it assure its survival by upgrading its military alliance with the United States, without its motives being suspected by other countries. This is the way for the alliance to gain a comparative advantage over the Japan-US alliance and others.