60 yr-old Seoul-Washington alliance needs renewed balance: experts

I think one of the first steps will need to be to reconfirm the 2009 ROK-US Joint Vision.

V/R

Dave

2012/12/31 16:46 KST

(News Focus) 60 yr-old Seoul-Washington alliance needs renewed balance: experts

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2012/12/31/55/0301000000AEN20121231003500315F.HTML

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- After 60 years of forging staunch bilateral relations, South Korea and the United States are now faced with the task of upgrading their ties to the direction of "rebalancing" in both bilateral and multilateral terms in accordance with sweeping changes in circumstances surrounding them, experts said Monday.

   Formed under a mutual defense treaty signed in 1953 and taken into effect the following year, the Seoul-Washington alliance has been developed into a "comprehensive and strategic relationship," with U.S. President Barack Obama recently calling its ties with Seoul "a linchpin of peace and security in the Asia Pacific."

   "The alliance was established in blood and cemented through mutual sacrifice over the past 60 years to become one of the longest and strongest ties in world history. And there would be little doubt that the solid military-based relationship helped Seoul achieve political and economic developments," said a senior foreign ministry official, requesting anonymity. 

"Circumstances surrounding the two countries, however, have gone through a sea of changes. In particular, the loosening of the Cold War alignments finally led to changes in South Koreans' perception of North Korea and the U.S., among other things. That urges both Seoul and Washington to redefine their ties," he added.

   With the emergence of younger generations in Korean society, who do not have first-hand experience of the 1950-53 Korean War and see the rise of non-conservative establishments in domestic politics, calls have grown from the public for the redefinition of the high-handed diplomacy with the U.S.

   "The South Korean people increasingly value ties with the U.S. on an equal footing if a series of incidents, particularly under the former President Roh Moo-hyun administration, serve any guide when the anti-American sentiment put the alliance to a serious test," said Yun Deok-min, a senior analyst at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security. "How to resolve such tasks, while maintaining superb ties, will be key to future relations."

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http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2012/12/31/55/0301000000AEN20121231003500315F.HTML