ROK-U.S. Military Alliance and the Future of Korea's Defense Policy

Abstract

The Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States of America, which came into existence shortly after the Korean War in the context of Cold War confrontations, has been the centerpiece of the strategic relationship between both countries for more than a half-century. Nowadays, even though the economic and political ties between the two nations have grown in importance vis-a-vis the security relationship, it was initially the security cooperation between them that contributed to the economic and political progress in South Korea. It helped them to promote their strategic goals on the peninsula and the adjoining region. In the post-Cold War period, and especially in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks in the USA, the alliance has been increasingly challenged by events that are taking place in domestic, regional, and international arenas. In the military quarters of both countries, an intense debate is cropping up about the future orientation of the alliance. Both nations have already proposed restructuring and adapting their mutual defense alliance to the new regional and international environments. Nevertheless, in the present ROK-US strategic alignment, it is South Korea’s sovereignty that is at stake. Like Japan, South Korea will remain an “abnormal state” as long as its military forces remain under U.S. military protection. In line with the demands for restructuring the military alliance with the United States, South Korean authorities have been advocating a policy of “self-defense.” At the same time, there is some apprehension about how South Korea’s neighbors will perceive such a policy. The main issue of this presentation is how Seoul is going to handle its self-defense policy without upsetting the present balance of power in the Northeast Asian region.