This comprehensive report, situated in historical, political, and strategic contexts, delves into pivotal issues shaping alliance politics for the next decade. Authored by six experts from South Korea and the United States, it explores the intricate interplay of domestic politics, nuclear nonproliferation, and military strategy. Examining US-ROK relationship, the report dissects political and institutional entanglements including partisanship, issue politicization, legislative politics, and social cleavage. The publication also offers Korean and US perspectives on South Korea’s debates on nuclear weapons, digging into questions remaining after the May 2023 Washington Declaration. Grounded in rich data-driven case studies, the chapters of this volume also contribute to international relations theory and form the basis for insightful policy recommendations.
Collectively, these chapters attest to the emerging politics—politics with important historical legacies but with new fault lines—that shape our choices and interests in managing the US-South relationship, particularly amid increased frictions between Washington and Beijing. The US-ROK relationship is not just a matter of “two levels” of politics; it is also an intricate web of institutional, social, and idea networks that shape the way Washington and Seoul perceive threats, interests, capabilities, and fault lines.
This publication has been made possible by the generous support from the Korea Foundation.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Connecting the Dots: Diplomacy, Security, and Society in Seoul and Washington by Darcie Draudt-Véjares, Princeton University.
Chapter 1: South Korean Public’s Negative Sentiment Toward the United States: Background and Characteristics by Kuyoun Chung, Kangwon National University.
Chapter 2: Championing the Alliance: Congress and US-ROK Relations by Esther S. Im, Foreign Policy for America.
Chapter 3: The Emergence of a New Generation and the US-ROK Alliance by Jahyun Chun, Yonsei University, Mirae Campus.
Chapter 4: Contingency Causes Complexity: Dynamic Preferences for US-South Korea Alliance Management by Jonathan Corrado, The Korea Society.
Chapter 5: The Contours of South Korea’s Nuclear Debates by Bee Yun Jo, Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.
Chapter 6: United States Policy toward South Korea’s Nuclear Ambition after the Washington Declaration by Lami Kim, Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
