[Session 1] ROK-U.S. Alliance

Session: Session 1
Date/Time: April 23, 2019 / 13:00-14:30

Moderator:
Sue Mi Terry, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Speakers:
Kim Sung-han, Korea University
Marc Knapper, U.S. Department of State
Sydney A. Seiler, U.S. Forces Korea
Soeya Yoshihide, Keio University
Zhu Feng, Nanjing University

Panel Description
Under the “America First” principle, the Trump administration has revised the KORUS FTA and increased South Korea’s share of the USFK costs. Large-scale joint military exercises, including the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises, were also suspended. In terms of coordinating a North Korea policy, there appears to be a widening rift between Seoul and Washington over how to denuclearize North Korea. With intensifying competition between the U.S. Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, South Korea may no longer be able to maintain its policy of strategic ambiguity. Against this backdrop, what strategy should South Korea pursue vis-à-vis North Korea? Will the bilateral working group between Seoul and Washington help bridge their gap on North Korea? What is South Korea’s role in the Indo-Pacific Strategy? What should South Korea do to sustain or strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance?