한·미 동맹과 한반도 평화

The ROK-US Alliance is a Key Element to Foster Peace on the Korean Peninsula

In East Asia, the Cold War legacy lingers: the rivalry between the United States and China encourages North Korea to militarily threaten South Korea. South Korea faces a strengthened military menace from a nuclear-armed North Korea, which is backed by China. For non-nuclear South Korea, military alliance with the US is the only reliable means to deter the North Korean threat. To dissuade China from its aggressive policy of ‘Finlandize South Korea,’ the ROK-US alliance is also the most effective measure. To maintain the valuable ROK-US alliance, South Koreans should do more to make Americans feel that the alliance is a valuable asset for the US. Alliance with the democratic ROK with a half-million well-trained armed forces will strengthen US influence in East Asia. The ROK government should convince American friends of its determination to spread democratic values that Americans hold in East Asia.