Five Futures for a Troubled Alliance

Many observers have noted that relations between the United States and South Korea have become increasingly strained. In this article, to contribute to discussions about the future of the alliance we (1) describe the source of current tensions: the allies’ increasingly divergent strategic priorities with respect to China, and progress in North Korea’s nuclear and missile technology. Second, (2) we outline different ways to fix the problems in the alliance, by outlining alternative visions in addition to the status quo. We consider an enhanced alliance, the option of “boots off the ground,” and no alliance. None of these, we argue, addresses the key pressures on the alliance nor advances the allies’ key national security interests. We conclude that the best way forward is a fifth option, which is maintaining the alliance while South Korea acquires an independent nuclear capability. KCI Citation Count: 5