"US Forces Korea May Undergo Changes"... Will South Korea-US Security Negotiations Part 2 Begin?

US: "Maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is essential for international security"
... Omitted from Korean Foreign Ministry press release
First Lee Jaemyung-Trump bilateral summit likely next month
South Korea and US speak with one voice on "complete denuclearization of North Korea"

With the South Korea-US summit imminent, a senior government official has mentioned for the first time the possibility of changes in the role of US Forces Korea.

On July 31 (local time), a high-ranking official familiar with South Korea-US diplomatic affairs met with correspondents at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Washington, D.C., and stated, "I believe that the role and nature of US Forces Korea could change due to various factors." This is related to the concept of "strategic flexibility," which involves expanding the operational scope of US Forces Korea to areas such as the Taiwan Strait. It is the first time that a senior South Korean government official has directly raised the possibility of changes in the role of US Forces Korea.

The senior government official explained, "The causes for (changes in the role of US Forces Korea) could be the international situation, technological changes, or responses to the growing strategic role of China." The official also cautioned against overinterpretation by adding, "However, it is difficult for allies to achieve complete consensus. This does not mean that we necessarily agree with the US position."

US: "Maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is essential for international security" ... Omitted from Korean Foreign Ministry press release

This issue appears to have been discussed during the first meeting between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The foreign ministers of both countries held their first meeting since Minister Cho's inauguration on this day. Immediately after the meeting, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced, "The two ministers emphasized that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is an essential element for the security and prosperity of the international community." However, this statement was not included in the press release distributed by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead explained, "Both sides agreed on the need to further strengthen the alliance and modernize it to increase its strategic importance amid changing regional security and economic environments." The so-called "alliance modernization" is a comprehensive term that encompasses issues such as the strategic redeployment of US Forces Korea and the defense cost-sharing issue.

It was in July that both countries officially acknowledged the possibility of changes in the alliance, which has remained strong for over 70 years, under the motto of "alliance modernization." At that time, following director-general-level consultations, the two sides released a "South Korea-US Alliance Consultation Joint Press Statement," which stated, "We discussed ways to strengthen the South Korea-US alliance as a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance and to modernize the alliance in a mutually beneficial manner amid changing regional security environments." However, there is still no official confirmation regarding the specific agenda or issues, and there is much speculation that topics such as South Korea-US defense cost-sharing and the redeployment of US Forces Korea will be discussed.

First Lee Jaemyung-Trump bilateral summit likely next month... South Korea and US speak with one voice on "complete denuclearization of North Korea"

Ultimately, this issue is expected to be addressed through discussions between the South Korean and US leaders, which are likely to take place in August. Since the South Korea-US tariff agreement reached on July 30 was limited to trade issues, more significant challenges remain in the security field. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We have agreed to closely coordinate the schedule and other details to ensure the successful hosting of the South Korea-US summit and to achieve various outcomes." Although President Donald Trump has declared that the meeting will take place "within two weeks," the schedule may change as both sides coordinate their calendars.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of South Korea and the US spoke with one voice on the "complete denuclearization of North Korea." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "While maintaining a robust combined defense posture, we have reaffirmed our commitment to the goal of complete denuclearization of North Korea." The White House spokesperson also said, "We reaffirmed our firm commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the full implementation of sanctions against North Korea, and expressed serious concern about the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia."