By Benjamin A. Engel
There has been occupation concern for months close a rift the U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance. As the diplomatic torrent of 2018 involving both Koreas as well as the U.S. took off ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics inward South Korea, U.S. commentators were warning that Democratic People's Republic of Korea wanted to drive a wedge betwixt Seoul as well as Washington. Following the Singapore Summit betwixt U.S. President Donald J. Trump as well as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inward June 2018, to a greater extent than alarms were sounded close North Korean wedge-driving. With all the wedge talk, South Korean as well as U.S. officials bring oft stared into cameras to assure the globe that all is good inward their alliance. Painting Democratic People's Republic of Korea equally the wedge-wielding villain is natural given its nefarious march to developing nuclear weapons, history of breaking deals, abhorrent human rights record, as well as unique mightiness to residuum China as well as the Soviet Union (and afterwards Russia) off each other to pursue its ain interests. It’s a convenient narrative, as well as slowly to sell. Yet land Democratic People's Republic of Korea sure enough is non opposed to tensions inward U.S.-ROK relations, it is non the master copy instigator of the discord. The U.S. as well as Republic of Korea are weakening their alliance on their own. And the substitution argue for the widening gap betwixt the U.S. as well as Republic of Korea is a divergence inward national interests on the Korean Peninsula as well as how to pursue their interests. These interests are non decided past times Pyongyang, but formed past times leaders inward Washington as well as Seoul.
The chasm betwixt the 2 partners was clearly on display for all to run into inward U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement of Nov 20, 2018: “We bring made clear to the Republic of Korea that nosotros practice desire to brand sure that peace on the peninsula as well as the denuclearization of Democratic People's Republic of Korea aren’t lagging behind the growth inward the amount of inter-relationship betwixt the 2 Koreas. We persuasion them equally tandem, equally moving frontwards together.” In other words, to U.S. policymakers, peace as well as denuclearization are 2 dissimilar outcomes that must last reached separately, although preferably simultaneously. Lurking behind this contestation is the state of war machine option. Denuclearization tin give the axe last achieved via violence through pre-emptive state of war as well as peace would come upwards after a regime alter inward North Korea. Thus, the priority for Washington is denuclearization, non peace. And the agency to attain that finish bridge from state of war to sanctions, but practice non include economical engagement or sanctions relief.
This fundamentally conflicts amongst South Korean President Luna Jae-in’s Democratic People's Republic of Korea policy. For South Korea, peace as well as prosperity are the kickoff priority. To attain peace as well as prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, the resolution of the nuclear number is a unmarried goal, as well as it is accompanied past times 2 others: developing sustainable inter-Korean relations as well as edifice a novel economical community on the Korean Peninsula. No sequencing exists for achieving these iii goals, equally they all contribute to the ultimate national involvement of peace as well as prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. If advances inward inter-Korean relations are easier to brand than forthwith achieving denuclearization, that is non a occupation according to the policy of the Luna administration. With peace equally Seoul’s master copy interest, the authorities rejects a fierce resolution to the nuclear number as well as prefers easing sanctions as well as economical engagement to create Democratic People's Republic of Korea out of its isolation as well as into the community of nations; presumably it volition as well as thus larn enmeshed inward the globe economic scheme as well as forsake fierce provocations and, eventually, nuclear weapons.
This is where the wedge exists inward U.S.-ROK relations. Democratic People's Republic of Korea did non orchestrate this substitution divergence inward the national interests of the 2 alliance partners. Seoul as well as Washington are but non inward sync when it comes to engaging North Korea. The U.S. is seeking denuclearization kickoff as well as foremost, land Republic of Korea has a broader finish of peace as well as prosperity. The methods to attain these interests are also divergent.
The U.S. has non been shy close forcing Republic of Korea to adopt its denuclearization-first policy either. As South Koreans brand plans for potential economical cooperation initiatives amongst Democratic People's Republic of Korea equally business office of the Luna administration’s finish of realizing an economical community on the Korean Peninsula, Washington is issuing veiled threats if such economical ties are reopened earlier sanctions are lifted — as well as sanctions will non last lifted until denuclearization is underway. This behavior, along amongst comments from Trump questioning the sovereignty of South Korea, are probable to deepen the separate farther than anything Kim Jong Un could promise to do.
Can the alliance last saved? Certainly. But the national interests of the 2 countries volition bring to realign. The bedrock of the alliance throughout the Cold War was anti-communism. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the 2 allies remained steadfast inward opposing North Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon, although they oft disagreed on how to operate close halting it. While at that topographic point are all the same doubts close North Korean nuclear as well as missile technology, Kim Jong Un has declared “mission accomplished” as well as is at nowadays striding out to engage the international community. This represents a novel era inward relations amongst Democratic People's Republic of Korea for both Republic of Korea as well as the United States, as well as at that topographic point is disagreement close how to bargain amongst this new, confident Pyongyang. The United States, for the most part, has yet to alter course. Despite Trump’s flashy summit amongst Kim, the bedrock of U.S. Democratic People's Republic of Korea policy remains “final, fully verified denuclearization.” While Republic of Korea affirms its commitment to that goal, it is exclusively a business office of its Democratic People's Republic of Korea policy, which is to a greater extent than fixed on realizing peace on the Peninsula. Either the U.S. volition bring to adjust its goals to align amongst Republic of Korea or a furnish of the conservatives to the Blue House volition last needed if the 2 long-time allies are to larn dorsum on the same page.
Benjamin A. Engel is a Researcher at the Institute for Peace as well as Unification Studies at Seoul National University. He is also a Ph.D. candidate inward East Asian Studies at Seoul National University’s Graduate School of International Studies as well as holds an MA inward Korean Studies from the same school. His inquiry interests include modern Korean history, democratization inward East Asia, as well as U.S. unusual policy.
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