South Korea has long been shaped—directly and indirectly—by the intellectual legacy of America’s most influential international relations thinkers. Figures like Hans Morgenthau, Henry Kissinger, and Zbigniew Brzezinski cast long shadows over South Korea. It is through their works that decision-makers formed modern U.S. policy on South Korea.
Significance. The imposition of tariffs under President Donald Trump threatens the stability of the South Korea-U.S. relationship, which relies heavily on mutual economic and security cooperation.
The 15 February meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul was little more than a diplomatic ritual devoid of substance. Although dressed up as a high-level reaffirmation of U.S.-South Korea ties, the meeting delivered nothing new.
A recent investigation by a popular media program has revisited U.S. surveillance on South Korea, and sparked significant public concern about U.S. intentions, challenging Yoon Administration efforts to strengthen the relationship.
Could the Korea - U.S. alliance end? It seems impossible. Every U.S. official and every U.S. politician says it’s impossible. Strangely, you hear differently here in Seoul. In fact, very differently.
When President Yoon visits Washington, nobody will ask what kind of middle power it is, but when they ask why South Korea is not doing more to assist Ukraine – they’ll basically be asking the same thing.
South Korea is set on a policy course that seeks to balance its economic relations with China and its security relations with the United States and this approach has attracted the Biden administration’s attention.
Without middle power diplomacy, South Korea's diplomacy will ultimately end up battling the same diplomatic crises with North Korea it has in the past — or worse
Articles discussing pre-emptive strikes on North Korea often ignore the potential long-term strategic change that would result from a conflict on the Korean peninsula.
