American and South Korean officials often describe the Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. alliance as ironclad, with both allies working in lockstep on their combined defense posture. While nice sounding, such truisms will soon be tested.
From the secretary of defense to military commanders in the region, U.S. authorities increasingly characterize Indo-Pacific alliances and U.S. forces stationed on allied territory – like United States Forces Korea (USFK) – as critical to deterring and, if need be, contesting China. However, policymakers across South Korea’s highly partisan political spectrum do not welcome the expansion of USFK’s role beyond deterring and defending against North Korea, nor the increased expectations such a change would invariably place upon Seoul and the alliance.
Given this existing tension, the Trump administration must engage the next South Korean administration, due to come into office on June 4, on several issues, including how to recalibrate USFK’s force posture to cover peninsula deterrence alongside addressing shared regional priorities, evolve the alliance’s combined command structure for Seoul to take a lead role, and align (or at least deconflict) Seoul and Washington’s respective understandings of their mutual defense obligations.
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Dr. Clint Work is a fellow for Northeast Asia at the Center for Strategy and Military Power (CSMP) in the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS).