Synopsis of the Asan Seminar: “Managing ROK-US Relations”

Abstract

As introduced by Choi Kang, vice president of the Asan Institute, this seminar was a follow-up to the June 2013 Washington Forum, which had taken stock of the sixtieth anniversary of the ROK-US alliance. Choi noted that difficult issues are becoming more prominent, raising more uncertainty about how to realize the comprehensive, strategic alliance for the twenty-first century. While the discussion in June was mostly about bilateral issues, this time trilateral matters took center stage, not so much about North Korea or even China as in June, but Japan above all. Questions posed by the audience to Kurt Campbell, who first gave a keynote address and then responded to queries raised by Choi, overwhelmingly centered on ROK-Japan relations. To a surprising extent, so too did questions addressed to Mo Jongryn, who led Session 1 with his presentation on Korea and the Liberal International Order, and to Kim Jiyoon, who led Session 2 with her presentation on Korean public opinion and the ROK-US alliance. Choi has led the Topics of the Month discussion on the ROK-US alliance in the Asan Forum, and it is fitting that we link this synopsis to that discussion, including a new article directly on the impact of ROK-Japan relations by Bong Youngshik as well as a rejoinder by Rust Deming. The October 25 seminar raises the intensity of the exchange, as worry about how to manage the ROK-US alliance is informed by ROK-Japan ties.