The US-Korea Alliance Is Evolving amid the Turbulent International Order

President Joe Biden’s visit to South Korea signals the development of the U.S.-Korea alliance into a comprehensive global strategic partnership. But was the persistence of this alliance for 70 years after the Korean War a result of Korean choice or American coercion? Or was it simply a product of its time, transcending both choice and coercion? Maintaining the alliance is part of Korea’s pursuit of its national interests at the expense of autonomy.

Does the U.S.-Korea alliance prioritize values, interests, or a balance of both? Korea’s relationship with the U.S. has evolved from a military and economic partnership sharing common interests to an alliance that shares core values. The May summit showed where the U.S.-Korea alliance should head next.

In the past, the U.S. and South Korea have expanded their military ties, established by the U.S.-Korea Mutual Defense Treaty, into an economic alliance represented by the U.S.–Korea Free Trade Agreement. They seek to strengthen their bond even further through a collective focus on technology based on their shared national values. The two countries’ decision to increase cooperation in new industries, such as semiconductors, batteries and nuclear power, and South Korea’s participation in the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework also demonstrate this fact.

Meanwhile, the two countries’ leaders reaffirmed their goal of completely denuclearizing North Korea and agreed that it is paramount to maintain a strong deterring force against North Korea. In addition, Biden pledged for the security of both countries and a practical deterrence strategy. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol promised humanitarian aid to improve the North Korean economy and the lives of its people if North Korea proceeds with substantial denuclearization.

Koreans’ perception of the U.S.-Korea alliance is remarkably positive. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 71% of Koreans consider the U.S. their best ally, topped only by Israel (82%) and followed by the Philippines (64%), Japan (63%) and Canada (46%). It is noteworthy that the percentage of people who consider the U.S. their best ally has been dropping over the past decade in these countries, except for South Korea. In South Korea, the percentage has increased by 11% throughout the survey. Some 60% of Koreans considered the U.S. their best ally in 2007; it rose to 68% in 2014 and 71% in 2019. Despite former President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, the rise of China and increased awareness of Chinese retaliation against the High Altitude Area Defense System increased support for the U.S.

There are signs that the international order will be reorganized into a conflict between countries that prioritize values and countries that prioritize interests. The value-first countries criticize China’s and Russia’s inhumane and oppressive acts and demand a change in values and behavior. Nevertheless, they remain concerned about losing vital national interests and closely attend to changes in the power dynamic. If the current competition intensifies, the result will be one of two things: China will incorporate into a U.S.-led world order, or the U.S. will walk a path of decline after losing its hegemonic status.

This international order forces South Korea to choose between the U.S. and China. The U.S.-Korea summit in May means that the new South Korean government has strengthened cooperation with the U.S. within the new Cold War. However, many voices express concern as well. They are worried that it might have cut chances of improving inter-Korean relations and provoked China to pressure South Korea with its political and economic power.

South Korea will have difficulty surviving the U.S.-China competition unless it successfully transitions from its actor-centered diplomatic paradigm to a norm-based paradigm. It is time that South Korea change its diplomatic paradigm. 2023 will mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Korea Mutual Defense Treaty. Allies should be determined based first on shared values, not shared interests. I hope that the U.S.-Korea alliance will become a bastion for South Korea’s security and the East Asian region as a whole amid the instability of the new Cold War.