A conjecture in a section of the international public spectrum goes that in the upcoming presidential election in South Korea, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung might emerge as the new occupant of the Blue House. Unlike Yoon Suk-Yeol, who has recently been ousted from the office of President in South Korea, Lee is pro-China. He would review Seoul’s ties with Washington (and Tokyo) and the ties between South Korea and the United State might be strained in the process.

One, however, finds there is no cloud over the future of Seoul-Washington ties. Lee, if elected the country’s president in the upcoming poll, is highly unlikely to be insensitive to the time- tested pattern of South Korea-US ties. It is well documented that ever since the two nations concluded the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1953, they have promoted their ties further.  In 1987, the US designated South Korea as a major non-NATO ally. In 2017, the administration of President Park Geun-hye deployed the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense in the country. During then South Korean President Yoon’s visit to Washington in April 2023, the two nations worked out  a nuclear deterrence plan. The deal allowed US nuclear submarines to dock in South Korea.

South Korea and the United States have worked together to thwart the danger either faced. The US fought on its side in the Korean War (1950–1953). During the Vietnam War, South Korean President Park Chung Hee sent troops to assist American troops in 2004, President Roh Moo hyan authorized dispatching troops to Iraq.

Today the Seol-Washington military architecture is so designed that South Korean forces would fall under United States control should any war between the two Koreas resume. The air forces of South Korea and the USA conduct annual joint exercises. In February this year, the U.S. and South Korean militaries conducted a joint air drill featuring U.S. B-1 B bomber and F16s along with South Korean F-35 and F-15 jets.

Today over 28,500 U.S. military personnel are stationed in South Korea. South Korea pays $925 million dollars to the United States on this account. The US forces in the country work closely with the South Korean military and United Nations Command member states to defend the country against the threat from North Korea and maintain the Korean Armistice Agreement. The US-South Korea military posture includes annual combined exercises, military sales, and consultative relations. Recently, the US has sold to South Korea the systems, including MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes, Precision Guided Munitions, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, P-8A Patrol Aircraft, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile systems, Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, KF-16 aircraft Upgrades, Aegis Combat Systems, Harpoon and Hellfire Missiles, and AH-64E Attack Helicopters.

According to an estimate, between 2019 and 2021, the United States authorized the export of over $3.4 billion in defense articles to the South Korea.

Needless to mention, Lee seems to be fully aware Seoul’s military alliance with Washington is inevitable to contain the threat North Korea continues to pose to his nation’s existence. He must be aware North Korea is armed with nuclear weapons. It is estimated to possess over 50 nuclear warheads. The US has throughout remained committed to the defense of South Korea. Recently, the Trump presidency sent two American supersonic bombers to South Korea for training its military.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings