Upon making his inaugural visit to the American capital, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is set to have discussions with President Trump. While making his way to this significant encounter, President Lee has expressed resistance towards the United States’ urge to realign the longstanding US-South Korean military alliance of 71 years. Lee signaled a divergence in their objectives, stating his primary concern is the deterrence of North Korea, contrary to the American focus of countering China. Lee categorically noted that it’s not an easy task to strike a consensus on the matter.
The Trump administration is advocating for a significant transformation of the US-South Korean alliance, which was initiated in the aftermath of the Korean War. This partnership currently sees around 28,500 American forces stationed in South Korea. Over the past twenty years, there have been calls from the US for ‘strategic flexibility’ with the aim of dispatching the soldiers to address security issues that arise outside the Korean Peninsula.
The United States seeks South Korea’s contribution, possibly including the dispatch of its forces to other parts of the globe. South Korea has proven to be a supportive ally in the past, having sent troops to areas like Vietnam and Iraq in alignment with the US. However, South Korea perceives its main menace to be North Korea, not China, and thus is hesitant to involve itself in potential conflicts with China over regions such as Taiwan.
The credibility of the alliance and the strategies to deter and defend against North Korean threats are vital considerations for South Korea. Lee Jae-myung conveyed his intention to bring up a comprehensive array of matters concerning North Korea during his dialogue with President Trump. This encompasses the requirement for diplomatic engagement, despite Pyongyang’s constant refusal to entertain discussions with Seoul or Washington.
For a substantial period, the default strategic approach for various U.S. allies in Asia, including South Korea, has been a reliance on the U.S. military for security, while China has acted as their primary source of commerce and trade. Lee Jae-myung aspires to establish South Korea’s sovereignty and liberty from these superpowers. However, it still remains to be seen what alternate strategies he may pursue apart from delicately balancing relationships with both.
In addition to navigating diplomatic relations, President Lee also faces the massive task of forming a concrete trade agreement with the U.S., based on an initial verbal accord and informal structure. They have proposed a significant investment of $350 billion in the U.S., intended to alleviate the existing high tariffs on South Korean exports from 25% to 15%.
It has been stated by the U.S. that the allocation of these investments will be under the discretion of President Trump, with 90% of the earnings shifting into American pockets. This claim has been contested by South Korea’s industry minister, who believes it does not stand to reason. The majority of the $350 billion is expected to comprise loans and assurances, instead of outright capital investments.
The prospective investments may include a $70 million expenditure by South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean Co., aimed at enlarging shipyards in Philadelphia. This development, which will be closely observed by President Lee during his state visit, offers a glimpse into how the American vision of rejuvenating domestic production could lean heavily on support from South Korea.
This partnership might also play into the competition with China in the critical high-technology fields, such as semiconductors. Yet, the trade-related pressures are also a determinant in President Lee’s choice of an unconventional travel plan to the U.S. Lee is the sole South Korean president among the ten since 1980 to utterly bypass the U.S. during his first foreign bilateral visit, opting to go to Japan instead.
There have been past instances, notably in 2019, where South Korea and Japan’s relations were severely strained due to disagreements on history and trade, resulting in the U.S. persuasion to mend their relationship for dealing with immediate regional security concerns – primarily North Korea and China.
South Korea’s National Security Advisor, Wi Sung-lac, provides an insight into how such US interventions helped strengthen the cooperation between South Korea and Japan. Recently, the dynamics seem to have shifted, as indicated by Wi’s statement that it is no longer the U.S. guiding the trilateral collaborations, but rather, South Korea and Japan taking the lead themselves.
The post South Korean President Resists US Call for Military Realignment in Inaugural Visit appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
