[Correspondent Diary] The Passing of General Baek Sun-yeop Confirms the ROK-US Alliance

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] General Baek Seon-yeop, who was nothing less than a symbol of the South Korea-US alliance, has passed away. Having lived to 100 years old and survived 70 years since the outbreak of the Korean War, the United States has shown him deep respect.

The respect the US held for him can be seen in the media reactions to his death.

The US military specialist media outlet Stars and Stripes, in its obituary article, praised General Baek as South Korea’s first four-star general who achieved numerous victories in the Korean War at a young age.

Kim Gamel, the reporter who wrote the article, stated on his Twitter that at the outbreak of the Korean War, the South Korean army lacked equipment and training, but General Baek earned the respect of US military officers and maintained a close relationship with the US Forces Korea, eventually being appointed honorary commander of the US Eighth Army.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

AP News, ABC News, and The New York Times also promptly reported on General Baek’s death. This indicates the significant interest the US has in him.

The United States has shown more reverence for General Baek than South Korea itself. Being a "war hero" is a given. Americans who met him often used the term "treasure." An example is the condolence statement from Robert Abrams, commander of US Forces Korea, who emphasized that General Baek was “a hero who will be sincerely missed and a national treasure.”

I am heartbroken by the news of the passing last night of retired Army General Baek Seon-yeop, South Korea’s first four-star general. A leader, patriot, and politician, General Baek led the establishment of the modern South Korea-US alliance and left behind the words, "Without my homeland, I do not exist." I extend my deepest condolences to his family and will miss General Baek. pic.twitter.com/p3U0Aitdmb

? Harry Harris (@USAmbROK) July 11, 2020

Harry Harris, the US Ambassador to South Korea, mourned General Baek’s death and shared a photo on Twitter kneeling before him. His tribute to General Baek was twice as long as his expression of condolence for the death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.

The reason the US attaches such significance to General Baek is because he was a symbolic figure of the South Korea-US alliance. The fact that he contributed to the alliance is an essential part of the US explanation about him. Since all the US generals who fought alongside him in the Korean War have passed away, there is no better figure to mention when discussing the South Korea-US alliance that began in the Korean War. US military personnel and politicians who met him treated him with great respect.

Of course, the US is aware of the controversies surrounding General Baek in South Korea. Each obituary article in the US touches on his pro-Japanese activities to some extent. However, the controversies in South Korea are not a concern for the US. The resume of the Korean War hero recognized by the US cannot be affected by his pro-Japanese actions. The US evaluation of General Baek is based solely on his contributions during the Korean War. There is no reason for the US to reflect his pro-Japanese activities in their assessment of him.

However, another aspect can be seen in the US reaction to General Baek’s death. While it is true that the US places extreme importance on its alliance with Japan, there is a decisive difference with the South Korea-US alliance. Unlike the US-Japan alliance, the South Korea-US alliance is a relationship forged through shared bloodshed. Is there truly a hero in Japan whom the US Forces Japan commander would mourn?

Thus, General Baek’s death shows that despite President Donald Trump’s policy of downplaying alliances, the South Korea-US alliance is a relationship that will not easily disappear.

However, the future South Korea-US alliance should naturally aim for a partnership that reflects South Korea’s changed status rather than one-sided positions from either side. Completing this task is perhaps our duty as we bid farewell to a veteran amidst controversy.