Perception Gap in "Modernization of the South Korea-U.S. Alliance" Emerges as Key Summit Challenge

U.S. Emphasizes "China Containment" Adjustments
South Korea Maintains Distance from Taiwan Strait Issue

As President Lee Jaemyung and U.S. President Donald Trump prepare for their first bilateral summit, differences in perception between South Korea and the United States regarding the "modernization of the alliance" are becoming apparent. While the United States has raised the issue of adjusting the role of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) as part of its strategy to contain China, South Korea continues to maintain as much distance as possible from the Taiwan Strait issue, pursuing a diplomatic balancing act between the U.S. and China.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby stated on social media on July 31, following a joint call between the defense ministers of South Korea and the United States, "South Korea continues to set an example in terms of defense spending and shows a willingness to play a more leading role in strong defense against North Korea," adding, "We will continue to work closely together to create a strategically sustainable alliance that is ready to defend against shared threats."

Yonhap News

Such remarks from Colby, a key security aide to President Trump, serve as a preview of the upcoming South Korea-U.S. summit scheduled for this month. The Trump administration’s concept of alliance modernization emphasizes strengthening the strategic flexibility of USFK to contain China and expanding defense budgets to support this goal. This aligns with ongoing discussions in the U.S. policy community about adjusting the role of USFK. The argument is that, since USFK stationed on the Korean Peninsula is less mobile and survivable in terms of containing China, its presence should be reduced, and the South Korean military should take on the primary responsibility for defending against North Korea. In particular, the phrase "a sustainable alliance ready to defend against shared threats" is interpreted as a call for South Korea to participate in efforts to contain China.

In contrast, South Korea has consistently maintained that the modernization of the alliance is not aimed at targeting any specific country or affecting a third country. Instead, South Korea’s position is to advance the alliance beyond its traditional pillars of security and the economy, by developing a "new technology alliance" in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI).

The government is also maintaining a cautious stance regarding the discussion of adjusting the role of USFK. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun recently stated in an interview with foreign media, in response to a question about the possibility of adjusting the role of USFK, "They will continue to be stationed here, and I believe their role will remain the same as it is now."

Um Hyosik, Secretary-General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said, "A reduction in USFK ground forces, especially combat troops, could have a significant impact on the domestic and international economic and security landscape. Therefore, it is important to ensure that any reduction is limited to support troops during the upcoming summit process," adding, "To this end, it may also be necessary to leave room for our military’s involvement in regional conflicts, taking into account the Trump administration’s intentions."