Current Situation And Future Of ROK-U.S. Alliance

As a result of Cold War, ROK-U.S. Alliance has been confronted serious challenge in the new international environment. The future of the alliance will affect not only the bilateral relationship of Korea and the U.S., but also the security and balance of whole Asia-Pacific area.In the post Cold War period, accompanied by the boom of Korean economy and the rise of nationalism, Korea has been fed up with the minor partner of ROK-U.S. alliance. At the same time, the U.S. government adjusted their global stratagem and began to withdraw the army from Korean Peninsula. The new adjustment made Korean people panic and indignant. Korean government and public are also against Bush's unilateral policy, especially his hard line policy to North Korea. All these factors lead to an acentric trend between the two countries.After Cold War the Korean government always has an ambitious plan. They want to make Korea to be a central country in the world. But in the Northeast Asia, where almost all big powers compete drastically, Korea is all the same a relatively weak country, at most a medium power. Without the help of the U.S., it can hardly defend itself, let alone long-range economic development. It is a wise choice for Korean government to keep the close relationship with the U.S. However the alliance will not be just a copy of the past, it needs change to conform the new conditions. It will be a more equal and comprehensive alliance.