YeArBooK 2007 - US-Korea Institute at SAIS

saIs U.s.-Korea YearbooK
protective of domestic industries and much less supportive of FTAs. In fact, the
front-running Democratic Party candidates have all voiced skepticism about
the KORUS FTA, and some people in the U.S. are asking for a renegotiation.
In Korea, where two-thirds of the population was pro-FTA in April, more
than 20,000 protesters rallied in Seoul in November of 2007 to show their
dissatisfaction with the FTA. The slow pace of approval in the U.S. makes
Koreans doubt the Americans’ commitment and risks destroying the momentum
in Korea for supporting the FTA. Final passage has been dragged into 2008, and
the chance that the agreement will be blocked is not getting any slimmer. The
FTA is the first important official attempt to expand the nature of the alliance;
its failure would be extremely costly and detrimental.
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V. ConClUSIon
The U.S.-ROK alliance is not, as some have feared, collapsing; neither is it facing
serious problems. It is simply adjusting to a changed world situation and moving
from a patronage relationship to a partnership. Given the greatly improved
condition of South Korea and the changing global security situation since the
end of the Cold War, partnership is the direction toward which a healthy, lasting
alliance should move. Over half a century of cooperation has given the alliance
a solid foundation; if the two countries can overcome the challenges, they will
move toward a stronger alliance that not only contributes to the security of the
ROK and the U.S. but may serve as a powerful supporter of global stability.
In 2008, we will see more interesting developments regarding the U.S.-ROK
alliance. With President Lee Myung-bak in office, South Korea will likely be
friendlier to the U.S. politically but more aggressive on economic issues. If
Lee brings up issues such as human rights in dealing with North Korea, as he
promised during his campaign, the relationship with the North will be further
complicated, introducing more challenges into resolving the peninsula’s nuclear
problem.
Meanwhile, if the U.S. elects a Democratic president, supported by a Democratcontrolled
Congress, the country’s global policy might shift toward reduced
overseas military deployment and a renewed focus on environmental protection
and human rights. The future of the U.S.-ROK alliance depends on its flexibility
in cooperating and adjusting to all these challenges and changes.
U.s.-roK allIanCe: looKInG ToWard THe fUTUre
Chronology
2/13/07 Third session of the third round of the Six-Party Talks; initial actions
to implement the forum’s joint statement.
3/05/07 Six-Party Talks; meeting in New York of U.S.-DPRK bilateral working
group.
4/02/07 U.S. and Korea conclude FTA agreement.
4/08/07 U.S. delegation to North Korea.
4/13/07 DPRK reaffirms commitment to implement the February 13
agreement and willingness to move when the BDA resolution “is
proved to be a reality.”
5/01/07 Joint statement of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee.
6/11/07 Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill meets with ROK Vice
Foreign Minister Chun Young-woo.
6/14/07 North Korea receives money that had been frozen at BDA.
7/14/07 North Korea shuts down Yongbyon nuclear facilities.
7/26/07 U.S. responds to flooding in North Korea.
8/28/07 Inaugural inter-Korea summit.
10/03/07 Six-Party Talks agreement on “second-phase actions for the
implementation of the joint statement.”
10/11/07 U.S.-ROK strategic consultations for allied partnership,
subministerial session.
11/16/07 President George W. Bush welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo
Fukuda to Washington, D.C.
11/27/07 Defense ministers of North and South Korea begin talks.
12/11/07 The New York Philharmonic agrees to visit North Korea.
12/11/07 Beginning of a cross-border rail link between the two Koreas.
12/30/07 North Korea fails to declare all components of its uranium
enrichment program by the year’s end.
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