Research On The Active Role Of South Korea In The US-ROK Alliance Under The Constraint Of Asymmetric Alliance Relations

When a powerful nation and a weak nation form an asymmetric alliance,the powerful nation uses the alliance to pursue a foreign policy direction that is in line with its national interests.For increasing security,the weak nation provides freedom of policy decision to the powerful nation by providing military bases or domestic and foreign cooperation,while threatening itself from the outside.In an international political environment where the strong eat the weak,South Korea has formed an asymmetric alliance with the United States in order to survive.However,South Korea is trying to enhance its autonomy within the alliance to ensure the maximization of its own interests.Especially in the changing international relations of the 21 st century,the US-ROK alliance has also ushered in new changes.In the 1950 s,South Korea and the United States forged an alliance based on their awareness of threats.Since then,in the history of the alliance,due to changes in the international system and the United States’ global strategy,the US-ROK alliance has experienced strengthening and contradictions.However,South Korea has played an active or passive role.Under the bipolar system,South Korea sometimes actively expresses its national attitude,and sometimes actively cooperates with the United States’ global strategy in order to seek its own interests.After the end of the Cold War,South Korea accepted the U.S.defense cost-sharing requirements and worked hard to minimize the losses caused by the reorganization of U.S.troops stationed abroad.After entering the 21 st century,as South Korea’s international status has risen,the alliance between South Korea and the United States has ushered in a new situation.Although South Korea’s autonomy has been further enhanced,changes in the international environment in East Asia,especially the rise of China,coupled with the increase in North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat,South Korea has chosen to strengthen its alliance with the United States for national security.The development of the alliance between the two countries has been influenced by the international system,the global strategy of the United States,and the North-South relationship on the Korean Peninsula.According to changes in various factors,the US-ROK has been strengthened and a series of contradictions have also arisen.Not only that,in the process of the development of the alliance between the two countries,the asymmetry in the US-South Korea alliance and South Korea’s autonomy have also changed.Over time,the asymmetry of the US-ROK continued to ease,and South Korea’s autonomy gradually increased.At present,South Korea’s autonomy in the US-ROK alliance is limited by three factors.The first is the Sino-US competition in East Asia,the second is the threat of North Korea to South Korea,and the third is the stable support of South Korea domestic politics.If the situation in East Asia where security relies on the United States and the economy relies on continues,South Korea will face multiple difficulties.In addition,although South Korea’s international status and economic scale are far ahead of North Korea,with the continuous development of North Korea’s nuclear and missile technology,South Korea’s leading advantage is offset by this asymmetric threat.Therefore,South Korea’s national security still depends on the protection of the United States,and it will inevitably lose part of its autonomy when formulating foreign strategies.Moreover,if there is no stable support from domestic politics,the South Korean government will not be able to exercise its autonomy when formulating foreign strategies.Under the new international situation,the US-ROK alliance will continue to exist and develop for a certain period of time.In this regard,South Korea should set its own core interests,formulate a long-term national strategy,and strive to play a leading role in the new US-ROK alliance.In any case,the one-way relationship in the alliance relationship does not exist.Therefore,there is still room for expansion of South Korea’s autonomy,and its active role in the US-ROK alliance will continue to be reflected.