To Keep the Alliance Between the US and South Korea Strong

Published in Dong-a Ilbo
(South Korea) on 4 February 2014
by Boo Hyung-kwon (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Yeonju Sung. Edited by Bora Mici.
On Jan. 7, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry mentioned an interesting expression regarding the bilateral security arrangement of the United States and South Korea in Washington, D.C.

The statement was: "without an inch of daylight between us." These words sounded suitable for [describing] good couples, but Kerry used them to describe the perfect collaboration between South Korea and the U.S. against the ballistic missile systems of North Korea. As Kerry said,* if there were no gap between two individuals, it [this arrangement] would look hermaphroditic. It also reminded me of a young couple in a subway, sticking together like different magnetic poles.

This expression has become popular with authorities from both countries. On Jan. 29, Korean and U.S. negotiators of the six-party talks used similar expressions — "no daylight between our two countries," at the press interview in Seoul. With that expression, they emphasized the perfect partnerships of two countries. The expression literally referred to positive relationships. However, I felt uncomfortable with it because of what I have heard from Korean diplomats who have handled the relationship with the U.S. for a long time.

One of the authorities who managed the relationship between the U.S. and Korea said, "I do not like diplomatic rhetoric such as 'the perfect partnership of Korea and the U.S.'" That person also said, "In fact, the perfect partnership is impossible because each country has different interests. It can happen when one side gives up its own benefit and follows the other side without complaints.

"Compared with China, the U.S. is more reasonable and more generous to negotiate with."

Another senior diplomat said, "However, the U.S. changes its attitudes into offensive tactics when it deals with the crucial benefits of the U.S."

Thus, many Korean experts in North American affairs have agreed with a saying: "The more you negotiate with the United States, the less you become favorable to the United States."

Diplomats who went through all kinds of hardships in negotiations with the United States emphasized that the Korean government should watch the good partnership with the U.S. more carefully.

"When the Korean government took a hardline policy toward North Korea, the U.S. government used it to ease the tension with North Korea. Then, the South Korean government asked the U.S. government to collaborate with its policy. At this point, the U.S. demanded rewards to South Korea and then become cooperative to South Korea’s policy," an expert said. "In contrast, when South Korea became favorable to North Korea, the U.S. forced the South Korean government to stop doing so and follow the U.S. without any return."

In other words, the U.S. has never sacrificed its benefits for "the perfect partnership" between the U.S. and South Korea.

An alliance is the same as marriage because it is the best relationship between two different countries. Last year was the 60th anniversary of the bilateral alliance between South Korea and the United States. This close partnership is famous for "the most [continuously] successive alliance in the world." It was also meaningful because the strong alliance with the U.S. was the basis of national security for South Korea. With this national security, South Korea could overcome damages from the Korean War and develop the country remarkably. This rapid progress is also known as the Miracle on the Han River.

This year is a brand new year for both Korea and the United States. Both countries have to look after each other’s interests and concerns, as well as showcasing their close partnerships "without an inch of daylight between [them]" to the world. This year, there are sensitive issues to manage for South Korea and the United States, such as revising the Korea-U.S. Atomic Energy Agreement, the delay in restoring wartime operational command and historical and territorial disputes in Northeast Asia. In the process, both the U.S. and South Korea should speak out about the uncomfortable truth, tension and conflicts and try to reach a reasonable agreement. Then, the partnership can last for a longer time.

Here is one relevant, and personal, story on this. My grandparents and parents, who lived happily together, never regarded their married lives as successful. Instead, their descendants felt proud of their great partnerships throughout their own lives, even with small arguments.

*Editor's note: Kerry did not actually say this. It is the author's interpretation of the quote.


[광화문에서/부형권]찰떡궁합과 철벽공조

영어 잘하는 존 케리 미국 국무장관이 사랑하는 애인이나 배우자에게도 써볼 만한 영어 표현을 하나 선보였다. 지난달 7일 워싱턴에서 열린 한미 외교장관 회담에서.

‘without an inch of daylight between us.’ 우리(한미 양국) 사이에는 한 치의 빛도 들어올 틈이 없다. ‘북한의 핵과 탄도미사일 프로그램, 그 확산 활동에 대처하는 데 있어서’ 그처럼 완벽하게 단결돼 있다고 했다. 빛조차 들어갈 수 없는 사이라면 일심동체(一心同體), 암수한몸의 경지다. 지하철에서 자석처럼 딱 붙어 있는 젊은 커플의 모습도 연상된다.

그런 연인들이 이 표현을 사랑의 밀어로 활용할지 알 수 없지만 한미 당국자들 사이엔 한동안 유행할 듯하다. 같은 달 29일 서울에서 만난 양국의 6자회담 수석대표는 번갈아가며 이 문구(no daylight between our two countries)를 기자들 앞에서 썼다. 대북(對北) 공조가 너무 잘되고 있음을 강조한 것이다. 그런데 나는 이 표현이 쉽게 소화되지 않는다. 미국을 상대해온 베테랑 외교관들에게서 들어온 얘기 때문이다.

한미 관계를 다루는 고위직에 있던 한 인사는 “관행적으로 쓰는 ‘한미 철벽공조’란 외교적 수사(修辭)가 정말 싫다”고 말해왔다. “두 나라의 국익이 같을 수 없는데 어떻게 철벽처럼 공조가 되나. 그건 한쪽의 이해를 다른 쪽이 그대로 따라갈 때나 가능한 일”이라고 설명했다. 한 중견 외교관도 “미국이 중국에 비해 합리적이고 관대한 강대국인 것은 맞다. 그러나 자신들의 결정적 국익이 걸린 사안에서는 ‘잔말 말고 따라와라’는 식의 조폭적 태도를 보일 때가 있다”고 말했다. 그래서 북미통 사이에서는 ‘미국을 제대로 상대하다 보면 점점 반미주의자가 돼 간다’는 뼈 있는 경구가 전해 내려온다. 미국을 산전수전 다 겪은 외교관들은 ‘한미 대북공조의 속살도 잘 살펴야 한다’고 귀띔한다. 한 북미통의 얘기.

“한국 정부가 대북 강경노선을 펴면 역대 미국 정부는 북한 쪽으로 더 다가가곤 했다. 그러면 한국이 미국을 말린다. 이때 미국은 ‘반대 급부’를 요구하면서 살짝 속도 조절을 한다. 반면 한국이 북한에 너무 가까이 가면 미국이 한국을 잡아끌곤 했다.” ‘완벽한 대북공조’를 위해 미 국익을 희생하는 일은 없다는 의미로 읽힌다.

동맹은 결혼에 비유된다. 국가 간 최고 관계이기 때문이다. 한미동맹은 지난해 60주년을 맞았다. 회혼(回婚)을 맞은 셈이다. 한미동맹은 자타가 공인하는 ‘세계에서 가장 성공한 동맹’이다. 6·25전쟁의 폐허에서 한강의 기적을 이룬 안보 토대였다. 올해는 한미동맹이 새 한평생을 시작하는 해다. 북한을 겨냥해, 세상을 향해 “우린 빈틈없이 사랑(공조)하는 사이”라고 말하는 것 못지않게 서로의 속 깊은 관심과 이해를 찬찬히 살펴볼 필요가 있다. 한미 원자력협정 개정, 전시작전권 전환 연기, 동북아 역사·영토 분쟁 등 민감한 현안이 산적해 있다. 그 과정에서 마주한 불편한 진실, 긴장이나 갈등도 드러낼 건 드러내고 건강하게 소화해야 한다. 그래야 백년해로할 수 있다.

사심(私心)이 담긴 사족(蛇足) 하나. 지금은 세상에 안 계시지만 행복한 회혼을 맞았던 할아버지 할머니, 이달 금혼(50주년)을 맞는 아버지 어머니는 “우린 천생연분이에요. 우리 찰떡궁합이에요”라고 주위에 말한 적이 없다. 간혹 티격태격하는 모습을 보여도, 그들이 이뤄낸 기적 같은 삶에서 ‘당신들이야말로 세계 최고의 부부입니다’라고 그 자손들이 느낄 뿐이다.
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