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Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
How Korea's next leader should set foreign policy compass
JEJU ISLAND -- The crux of the new Korean government's foreign and security strategy, former foreign ministers said, must be adapting to a shifting, more inward-looking US -- one demanding greater burden-sharing from its allies under President Trump's 'America First' doctrine -- while keeping the alliance at the core of its foreign policy at this critical crossroads. Facing a wave of increasingly interconnected global crises and a more inward-looking Washington, the former top diplomats urged Seoul's next leadership to move beyond the conventional US-centric approach and adopt a more holistic, big-picture foreign policy suited to the shifting global order. 'What's most important as Korea's new government takes office is that we are facing not just one or two challenges, but a complex web of simultaneous crises. We all know that these issues are unfolding on multiple fronts at once,' former Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who served under the former conservative Park Geun-hye administration, said during Thursday's session at the Jeju Forum held on the southern island of Jeju. 'Therefore, the new administration should not approach strategy solely through the lens of relations with the US, but should instead adopt a broader, more comprehensive perspective,' Yun said during a session on South Korea's diplomatic and security strategy ahead of the early presidential election on June 3. With no transition period before taking office, the new South Korean leadership will also need to quickly find its footing as it responds to growing US calls for greater responsibility in national and regional defense, as well as increased demands across the board within the bilateral alliance framework, Yun said. He also noted that, unlike in the past when North Korea's provocations were the main concern for an incoming administration, this time will be different: "the new government will need to prioritize how quickly it can formulate its own position in response to US priorities." 'Ultimately, it comes down to two main points: the role of US Forces Korea and South Korea's own regional role,' Yun explained. In Seoul, concerns are growing that the operational scope of US Forces Korea could extend beyond the Korean Peninsula and expand to regional defense, including being repurposed for a potential Taiwan contingency. 'In 2003, some units from US Forces Korea were redeployed to Iraq. Now, if they are redeployed -- not to Iraq, but to areas near Taiwan -- that could present a whole new set of challenges, and it's something we need to think about very carefully,' Yun said. 'From what I see, neither (presidential election) camp is fully prepared to address this issue yet.' Both the classified 'Interim National Defense Guidance,' as reported by The Washington Post, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's statement on the development of the 2025 National Defense Strategy make clear that US forces will prioritize deterring China as the sole pacing threat. Another key point is that allies should shoulder more responsibility for defending against other regional threats -- for South Korea, this means threats posed by North Korea. Former Foreign Minister Song Min-soon underscored that 'Korea needs to transform its current alliance system -- which is now overly dependent on the US -- into a more autonomous alliance, while still faithfully upholding the Korea-US alliance.' "This is something the US also wants," Song said. "However, in Korea, there is a fear that moving toward a more self-reliant alliance could lead to isolation from the US, and how to overcome that fear is the challenge." Song, who served in the former liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration, also called for the next South Korean government to 'more actively explore ways to achieve a nuclear balance between the two Koreas,' instead of merely relying on US extended deterrence. Extended deterrence refers to Washington's commitment to deter or respond to coercion and external attacks on its allies and partners with the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons. 'However, it doesn't necessarily mean that we need immediate nuclear armament,' Song continued. Former Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, however, said the next government should continue to focus on diplomacy with the United States and ensure that US extended deterrence is well maintained, opposing the idea of South Korea independently seeking a nuclear balance against North Korea. On the diplomatic front, Kim emphasized that the key challenge is how to navigate between the Korea-US alliance and China amid the shifting global order. "From the perspective of our diplomatic and security interests, regardless of who becomes the next president, the most important point is what stance South Korea should take between the US, our ally, and China, given our geopolitical realities," Kim said. "This remains our greatest diplomatic challenge." But Kim also pointed out that the US is no longer willing to unilaterally provide public goods as it did in the past, as it needs to focus its limited capacity on addressing mounting domestic challenges. Kim, who served under former conservative President Lee Myung-bak, expressed his concerns over a potential return to what's known as the 'Kindleberger Trap,' highlighting this as a key factor for South Korea to consider in devising its foreign policy. The trap refers to the failure of the international system due to the under-provision of global public goods and the dangers inherent in a shifting balance of power. "Looking at the current global order, if the US stops providing public goods, who will take on that role? Is Europe economically strong enough to take on that responsibility?" Kim said. "These are the kinds of questions we need to seriously consider in the context of international affairs."
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
DP candidate Lee highlights USFK's role in China containment: report
Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of South Korea's progressive Democratic Party, has highlighted the strategic importance of US Forces Korea in Washington's efforts to contain China amid speculation the Donald Trump administration may scale down American troops stationed in the country. The Korea-based American forces "actually play a very important critical role for the United States policy of containment against China," Lee said in an interview with US magazine TIME published Thursday. Lee's remarks came after The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Washington is considering withdrawing some 4,500 troops, or 16 percent of the USFK, and relocating them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific. Both Seoul and Washington have dismissed the report, with the Pentagon reaffirming America's full commitment to South Korea's defense. TIME pointed out that Lee, once seen as more friendly toward China, now appears to be moving to a pro-US stance during the election campaign. Lee is considered one of the strongest candidates for the June 3 presidential election. He led the latest opinion poll with 49.2 percent, followed by Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party at 36.8 percent. Lee also expressed support for Trump's North Korean policies, saying that Trump's willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was "helpful for the peace of the Korean Peninsula, as well as for Northeast Asia." He dismissed concerns that South Korea might be sidelined in future talks, saying it would be "structurally" difficult to exclude Seoul even if direct Trump-Kim negotiations resumed. During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump sat down with Kim three times for nuclear negotiations, though the two sides failed to produce a constructive agreement. On relations with Japan, Lee reaffirmed his demand for a more "fulsome" apology for Tokyo's colonial rule over Korea from 1910 to 1945. "We cannot dwell on the past, but Japan continues to deny its history and does not sincerely apologize, which hurts us Koreans," he told TIME. In trade policy, Lee pledged to pursue "reasonable and rational" discussions with the US to resolve tariff issues. South Korea is seeking to gain a full exemption or reduction of the Trump administration's 25 percent reciprocal tariffs for the country, as well as sectoral tariffs on steel, automobiles and other imports, by crafting a package deal on trade issues by early July. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
US looks to 'calibrate' USFK posture to deter China: senior official
The United States is looking to "modernize" its alliance with South Korea and "calibrate" US force posture on the Korean Peninsula to deter China, a senior US defense official said Thursday, apparently leaving open the possibility of an adjustment to the US Forces Korea presence. In a press briefing, the official stressed Washington's desire to work with the incoming Seoul government to ensure that the bilateral partnership is "strategically sustainable," as South Korea is set to pick a new president in an election set for Tuesday. The officials' remarks followed a recent news report that the Pentagon is considering withdrawing roughly 4,500 troops of the 28,500-strong USFK and moving them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific, including Guam. The Pentagon has dismissed the report as untrue. "We are prioritizing deterring China. That is one of our stated priorities. It is essential, as we do that, to work with Seoul to modernize the alliance and calibrate US force posture on the peninsula to reflect the realities of the regional security environment," the official said, responding to a question from Yonhap News Agency. "We will continue to empower our allies and partners to do more for their own defense. That includes South Korea, and we look forward to working with the incoming South Korean government to ensure that our alliance is strategically sustainable, and that our combined posture on the peninsula credibly contributes to the deterrence against both China and North Korea." His remarks appeared to be suggesting that the Pentagon is not entirely ruling out an adjustment to the USFK troop level in an effort to keep an assertive China in check. "We look forward to working with the new government (of South Korea) following the election next Tuesday, like I said, to make sure that the alliance is strategically sustainable," he said when asked to clarify if there is still a possibility of an adjustment to the USFK troop level. "As we focus on deterring China, we look forward to working with Seoul to define the best way forward." The briefing took place on a plane en route to Singapore as the official is accompanying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in his trip to the city-state, where the Pentagon chief will attend the Shangri-La Dialogue and other meetings on its sidelines. On Saturday morning, Hegseth plans to deliver plenary remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue. "He will provide an honest overview of threats China poses to the region, (and) underscore our goal is to prevent war by establishing an incredible shield of deterrence with our unmatched network of allies and partners," the official said of the secretary's planned speech. Hegseth will also discuss how the Pentagon is reestablishing deterrence in the region by expanding the US' force posture, helping its allies and partners strengthen their defense capabilities, and rebuilding its defense industrial base, the official added. On the margins of the forum, the secretary plans to hold a four-way meeting with his counterparts from Japan, Australia and the Philippines, multilateral talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and a series of bilateral talks with his counterparts from Australia, Vietnam and other countries.
The Star
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Seoul denies talks with US on potential troop pullout
THE defence ministry said there have been no talks with Washington on pulling US troops from the South, after a Wall Street Journal report claimed Washington was considering a partial withdrawal. Citing US defence officials, the Wall Street Journal report yesterday said Washington is considering whether to move around 4,500 troops out of South Korea and deploy them to other locations, including Guam. Washington, South Korea's long-time key security ally, stations around 28,500 troops in the South to help protect it against the nuclear-armed North Korea. But US President Donald Trump said last year – before winning the election – that if he returned to the White House, Seoul would pay billions more annually to host American troops. When asked about the Wall Street Journal report, Seoul's defence ministry said: 'There has been no discussion whatsoever between South Korea and the United States regarding the withdrawal of the United States Forces Korea'. The allies last year signed a new five-year agreement on sharing the cost of stationing US troops in South Korea, with Seoul agreeing to raise its contribution by 8.3% to 1.52 trillion won (RM4.7bil) for 2026. 'US Forces Korea have served as a key component of the South Korea-US alliance, maintaining a strong combined defence posture with our military to deter North Korean aggression and provocations,' Seoul's defence ministry said, adding that this contributed to 'peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region'. 'We will continue close cooperation with the United States to further strengthen this role going forward.' — AFP
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Seoul says no talks with US on troop withdrawal, reaffirms alliance stability
SEOUL, May 23 — South Korea's defence ministry said today there have been no talks with Washington on pulling US troops from the South, after a Wall Street Journal report claimed Washington was considering a partial withdrawal. Citing US defence officials, the WSJ report said Washington is considering whether to move around 4,500 troops out of South Korea and deploy them to other locations, including Guam. Washington, South Korea's long-time key security ally, stations around 28,500 troops in the South to help protect it against the nuclear-armed North Korea. But US President Donald Trump said last year — before winning the election — that if he returned to the White House, Seoul would pay billions more annually to host American troops. When asked about the WSJ report, Seoul's defence ministry said: 'There has been no discussion whatsoever between South Korea and the United States regarding the withdrawal of the United States Forces Korea'. The allies last year signed a new five-year agreement on sharing the cost of stationing US troops in South Korea, with Seoul agreeing to raise its contribution by 8.3 per cent to 1.52 trillion won (RM4.6 billion) for 2026. 'US Forces Korea have served as a key component of the South Korea-US alliance, maintaining a strong combined defence posture with our military to deter North Korean aggression and provocations,' Seoul's defence ministry said, adding this contributed to 'peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.' 'We will continue close cooperation with the US to further strengthen this role going forward.' United States Forces Korea declined to comment when contacted by AFP, saying any remarks on the matter should come from Washington. — AFP
