Study On South Korea Autonomy From The Perspective Of ROK-U.S.Alliance

State autonomy means that state as an independent entity, has its own unique interests and behaviors, and is able to act in accordance with its specific logic. The realization of state autonomy with respect to not only the needs of national community to maintain a certain independence, but also in the international community enjoy the actual status, resources and decision-making autonomy, the ability to act independently with respect to international pressure. Nation-states pursue national interests under the guidance of the sovereignty concept, but because of the restrictions from some external systems, incluing international mechanisms, rules and international law, state autonomy is constrained to some degree and can’t function itself freely. As a highly political cooperation mechanism, alliance in which the states join has defined regulation on rights and obligations which, to a certain extent is the result of mutual restrictions. If not consider the nature of the alliance, the provisions of the rights and obligations to all members are equal. However, in the asymmetry alliances where the strength is great in gap, it is noteworthy that, whether a small country has state autonomy, and degree of the autonomy and what factors affecting the autonomy.ROK-U.S. alliance is a typical asymmetric alliance. Because the United States saved South Korea in the Korean War, so the Republic of Korea follows the United States after the War. Alliance is an important guarantee for Korea’s security and defense, and it has affected, all aspects of this country. It is this overall dependence that makes Korea gradually voice more independence after it increased its strength, especially in the period of Roh Moo-hyun’s government. South Korea called for strengthening its independent status in the U.S.-ROK alliance, hoping to change the long-standing unequal alliance relationship and establish relations of equality mutual benefits with the United States. ROK’s autonomy means it should be responsible for its destiny, restore its sovereignty and national identity and achieve equality in the ROK-U.S. relations. Korea’s autonomy is embodied in aspects like politics, military affairs, diplomacy and economy. Fundamentally, it is inevitable that the increase of Korea’d demand for automy is the process in wich small countries strive for equality and develop the asymmetric alliance into a symmetrical one. How to analyze and understand this phenomenon theoretically?Based on the three "balance" theories in the alliance, this paper put forward the "balance of need" theory to explain the autonomy of alliance members. It can be also understood that namely the process of alliance is up to the degree of dependence on each other. The most notable feature of asymmetrical alliance is the "autonomy security trade-off’model between members. In the forming period, big country provide security protection at the expense of small country’s autonomy loss. The result is that autonomous "surplus" appears in the asymmetric alliance. The amount of the "surplus" reflects the samll countries’actual position and their demand for security in alliance. In the process of alliance management, small countries have to safeguard their sovereignty, continually strive for national independence and strive to obtain equal status. If the big country does not adjust the alliance relationship in time, it will result in contradictions and conflicts between members, the most serious may lead to the disintegration of the alliance. In other words, the formation and the maintenance of alliance relationship are based on compromise and consensus between member’s autonomy issues, also a "balanced" status. When small countries gradually increase its demand for autonomy, it means alliances begin to change from complete asymmetric to symmetric Alliance. From the path of analytical hierarchy, the factors that affect autonomy "balance of need" are threat, power and decision-makers. The joint effect brought about by these three factors makes different forms of the alliances, and will finall decide whether small countries can really achieve autonomy.Threat is the main factor affecting autonomy in "balance of need" from the level of structure. Response to serious threat is the main reason that countries make alliance. Threat is not only the main factor to form alliances, but also an important factor in maintaining the alliance. Escalation of the threat level will strengthen the cohesion of the alliance; otherwise it will bring about conflicts between alliance members, showing more centrifugal tendencies. The reason that threat has impact on alliance autonomy "balance of need" is that the different threats touched by members and the different levels of demand for the alliance. When common threats faced by alliance become greater and direct mainly at big countries, autonomy of small countries will become strong, the "balance of need" will develop favorably towards small countries; otherwise, develop in favor of large countries. The existence of threat from North Korean affects the Korean’s pursuit of autonomy fundamentally.Power is the main factor that affects autonomy on "balance of need" from the aspect of nation. Changes in power relations mainly influence the degree of countries’independence, which also reflect the degree of countries’dependence on alliances. Power within the alliance shows the differences in status between members. Unequal power status is the root of the loss of autonomy, also a major factor affecting the ability to pursue autonomy. Change of strength of both sides would lead to changes in autonomy demand levels. From a poor backward country to a developed industrialized one, South Korea grows its national strength and increases its autonomy demand alongside. The fact that weak Korea in history is the root of continuous issues this region.Decision maker is the factor domestically that affects on autonomy "balance of need" Policy-makers are the main actors pursuing national autonomy. They face the problem of how to choose under the specific international and domestic situations. Due to the different preferences of decision-makers to take pro-alliance or anti-alliance attitude, the alliances exhibit strengthening or weakening tendencies. The main differences between them are two different perceptions of of ways to achive autonomy. The pro-alliance takes the way of attachment style to pursue national independence, however, the anti-alliance takes a more radical approach. Conservative and progressives in Korea choose different foreign policies makes alliance close or distant.The three variables of the "balance of need" are not isolated, though each of them plays a different role at different times. They interact with other in the whole process of alliance. The performance Korean autonomy is the result of the combined effect between the three variables. For a long time, South Korea tries to enhance its say in the alliance, strengthen its predominance in policy toward the DPRK and reduce the negative impact by asymmetric alliance. At present, the enhancement of Korea’s autonomy does not target the split of the alliance, but the process in which turns the asymmetry and, unequal alliance into a symmetrical, equal one. How to expand Korea’s autonomy in the ROK-U.S. alliance and at the same time maintin its security by the alliance is an eternal theme. In the newly historical period, South Korea needs to strengthen its autonomy with the help of the United States obtain more bargaining power. The United States, however, may tie South Korea in its "’chariot". It needs South Korean people’s wisdom to avoid this fact.