The NYT’s Norimitsu Onishi talked with a tea-sipping President Lee Myung-bak ahead of his big road trip to Washington. The attention-getter was that Lee admitted that ties between Korea and the US has been hurt under his two immediate predecessors, although not fatally:
“During the last 10 years, this relationship, of course it hasn’t been damaged beyond repair, but there were some instances where we did experience some difficulties, and some damage has been done to the relationship between Korea and the United States,” Mr. Lee said. “So during my visit next week to the United States, I hope, first of all, to repair this and to bring about trust and to rebuild the trust between the two countries.”
Oh, and Lee wants US troops to stay in Korea. Big surprise, there:
During Mr. Roh’s administration, officials on both sides warned, though privately, of serious problems in the security alliance. Instead of stressing the alliance’s importance, Mr. Roh talked of South Korea’s role as a “balancer” in the region while Americans spoke privately of the possibility of one day withdrawing troops from the South.
But Mr. Lee dismissed the idea of withdrawal.
“No. 1, the role of the U.S. forces in Korea, as we all know, is deterrence — is to prevent a war from breaking out here on the Korean Peninsula, and in that sense, they do a tremendous job,” he said. “Secondly, it goes beyond that because by the mere presence of the U.S. forces in Korea, they contribute to the peace and stability of East Asia and beyond Northeast Asia as well.”
Oh, and if you’re in a reading mood, the American Enterprise Institute’s Michael Auslin thinks US politicians are squandering a golden opportunity to help a visionary leader of an ally that wants back in from the cold (HT to reader). Just to give you a sample:
But whereas South Korea’s voters showed fortitude in choosing hope over fear, American politicians are caving in to foreign and domestic demons. North Korea, it seems, gets far more solicitude than our ally. The State Department yesterday announced the latest “agreement” between Assistant Secretary Chris Hill and North Korea, in which Pyongyang promises yet again to give a full accounting of its nuclear programs at another unspecified date, though it still doesn’t have to account for what weapons it has already produced nor how much plutonium it has. The payoff this time? Delisting from the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, which would give Pyongyang a huge moral victory, not to mention access to international financing currently restricted by its terrorist activities. Such a declaration by Washington is likely to materially damage relations with Japan, our main ally in Asia next to South Korea, and could undercut Lee’s attempt to hold Pyongyang’s feet to the fire. In addition, the Pentagon has brushed off Lee’s requests to reconsider dissolving the combined forces command that controls U.S. and ROK troops in wartime, despite near universal opposition from South Korean military officers.
I have some things to say about this, but I’ve got a train to catch, so it’ll have to wait for the comment section.
19 Comments
Poor Lee. It sounds like he won’t get much of an audience in the States. At least he’ll have some good PR moments but that’s about it. South Korea may have to accept the fact that the damage done to the relationship between the two countries is beyond repairs, and that US influence in Korea (maybe even in Asia) is coming to a close.
The Free Trade agreement is virtually dead, and Americans are weary of dealing with foreign governments. The US is sinking under its crushing burden of war and its uncontrolled spiraling debt. They are in no shape nor in the mood for South Korea to turn to.
So, to counter and balance out the Chinese advances after the power vacuum is created, South Korea should try to seek closer economic ties with the EU. I guess that’s better than nothing.
I wonder if the kids will be surprised that Marilyn Manson is performing at Camp David?
…seriously? That’s awesome. Oh, wait, look who’s typing. STFU.
Forget to take your meds today, Mr. Bipolar?
US-Korean alliance is fine. China wishes otherwise but they have their own problems.
hmmm…. Lee Myung Bak, is he in for a surprise?
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/ww.....22409.html
I made the mistake of reading earlier comments before publicizing myself. Hence, I’m “distracted” from the real topic of Robert’s posting.
Let me pause to catch my thoughts and re-recollect…
Oh yes…
If I’m not mistaken (haven’t been tracking it since it’s insignificant in my world), the Bulldozer is going to be spending time out at Camp David.
It’s not Texas but it’s something better than D.C.
I’m a bit more optimistic than the earlier posters here.
Owoe
It’s time for the Yanks to just pick up and pull out. It is clear that most don’t want the US here anyway. The US could easily maintain influence throughout Korea and Asia without its Korean bases. This also puts a pre-emptive strike back on the table.
Lee’s attitude is a good sign that half the team needed to strengthen the US-ROK alliance is on board and ready. The question on who will constitute the other half of that team awaits the outcome of the US elections. I had assumed that Bush’ incompetence would result in a Democrat taking the helm in 2009, but this year’s race is clearly going to be a more evenly matched contest. A McCain presidency may guarantee a strengthening of the alliance over the following five to eight years, but two key factors will determine the alliance’s future. One, how badly is the U.S. troop presence in Korea still needed? (From a U.S. political, strategic, and military persoective). Two, will the maturing younger generations of Koreans be willing to continue manning their own (large) defense establishment, and allow a continuing American presence? US military needs world-wide, and Korean views of their own power in Asia, will be the final determinants. My own judgment is that the downsizing will continue until US troop presence on the peninsula is a medium sized garrison of planners and war material maintainers. In short, the alliance does not yet need to be terminated, but it definitely needs to be re-prioritized and down-sized.
Warms my heart to hear a career officer express that informed opinion.
The Korean people have shown how they don’t want the US here. They don’t deserve to have the US here.
The Korean people elected dickhead Noh and followed his anti-US and xenophobic ways.
Those Koreans who do appreciate what the US did and has done are few and far between. They are a dying breed.
Remeber the article in the Korea Times, ‘34 Percent of Army Cadets Regard US as Main Enemy’ two weeks ago?
Not to mention that a large portion of students see the US as an enemy! Also, anti-US feelings were expressed by 75% of Korean conscripts.
That says it all right there. Koreans are teaching their students to hate. Especially in regard to the US.
I think the US should bug out of this pissant country and have Chinese soldiers replace them. That’s what these people deserve.
Ok, now ley’s hear all the bullshit excuses…
what LMB is doing is simple damamge control and financial management
how successful he will be is yet to be seen
My my, isn’t cm ca just a bundle of happy sunshine and balanced analysis!
The idea of the militarily impotent EU serving as a balance to China in any way is absurd.
Korea’s best bet is to cultivate relationships with the United States, Australia, India, and yes, Japan.
Hopes of the EU to be anything more than an economic partner are setting Korea up for disappointment at best and disaster at worst.
#11: John T, it would be nice if the average Korean cared as much about this issue as you suggest, but I actually think most Koreans just don’t care anymore one way or the other. When I saw Colin Powell speak at Kodae last Friday, he said US troops could be here on the Peninsula for another 50 years, and not one person amongst the 400 or 500 people there objected or asked a single critical question about the Korea-US alliance during the entire 90-minute presentation. And remember this was Kodae, famed for its (now past) radicalism.
I think most Koreans these days are too busy studying and working to be able to form deep opinions one way or the other about the alliance, and to really care much about it one way or the other. The girl behind me at the lecture was a law student and had no clue about Powell’s speech before the UN Security Council in Feb. 2003 about Saddam’s “weapons of destruction,” for example. After the lecture, when I asked another girl there why Kodaesaeng were so apparently apathetic about these issues, she said students were too busy “studying for midterms” and gave an embarrassed shrug.
Well, at least a lot of them spoke pretty good English. Maybe they’ll be able to use it in the future to actually ask relevant questions about the world they live in.
#1: You made a funny. Let’s see, countries that let Chinese troops run roughshod over their own police and citizens during the torch running are going to be a balancer to Chinese power in this region. Heh.
Fortunately for Korea, the 7th Fleet not only isn’t going anywhere, but is getting new subs redeployed from the Atlantic.
#8: I made the point a few years ago, somewhere on this blog, that we needed to remove our troops from this peninsula to give us more strategic flexibility (read: B-2 strike options) in dealing with the Norks. That, coupled with a little tidbit I heard this morning–LMB talking about defense budgets cutbacks of 10% next year and the following–and refusing to accept operational control, and I’m thinking we’ve played the role of Uncle Sugar a bit too long around here.
I dont remember LMB saying any of those things. Mind posting a link where he says that?
btw, troops on the peninsula aren’t restricting options. Its the massive artillery pointed at Seoul.
In the event of a war both sides know who will win, most people understand this except you. The deterrent here is mutually assured destruction, although it might not be complete destruction.
Ugh… who’s the genius that made Seoul capital (again, no less) right after the Korean War?
Its been the capital for a while. Its a good thing you dont make decisions here or in the US.