Alternative Futures for the U.S.-ROK Alliance: Will Things Fall Apart?
.
By Clint Work
May 23, 2020
This article appeared originally at 38 North.
Executive Summary
Over the last several months, 38 North held discussions with a broad range of former high-level U.S. and ROK political, diplomatic and military officials as well as various analysts and academics. The following key points emerged from our discussions:
The U.S.-ROK alliance faces several challenges to its continued cohesion, raising serious questions about its capacity to adapt to structural and strategic shifts buffeting the relationship.
Major changes in the alliance’s command structure, the possibility of U.S. force withdrawals, the erosion of the U.S. extended deterrence commitment and divergent perspectives about how to approach the DPRK and the ROK’s role in the U.S.-China strategic competition will all stress alliance solidarity.
To maintain extended deterrence, Washington and Seoul need to deepen their consultations. Some ROK officials argued for going beyond the type of nuclear consultations held in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while others advocated more regular and transparent discussion between the Trump and Moon administrations.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2020/05/23/alternative_futures_for_the_us-rok_alliance_will_things_fall_apart_115313.html
