The Korean Peninsula was divided by the United States and the Soviet Union along the 38th parallel as the Cold War dawned on the Asia-Pacific region. Then on June 25, 1950, North Korean tanks rolled into the South and three years of mass destruction and suffering ensued. According to the armistice signed in July 1953, Korea would remain divided roughly along the 38th parallel by a demilitarised zone. In October 1953, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States signed the Mutual Defence Treaty, laying the foundation of the ROK-US alliance. After 50 years of turmoil and oppression, this was a turning point from which Korea could embark on a new, much brighter chapter in its history. With the United States as both economic benefactor and military ally, Korea was able to transform itself from an economic basket case to a global player with the 10th largest economy in the world. By virtually any measure, the Korea-US alliance is a success story, for the United States as well as for Korea, save for sacrifices made by certain sections of the population. Not only has Korea become a major economic and diplomatic partner in East Asia, but from a global strategic perspective, it was also in Korea that the US successfully contained the Soviet Union at the eastern tip of the Eurasian landmass during the Cold War.
展开▼
