Lynchpin Grapples with Frustration and Distrust.

摘要

The US-ROK alliance is strong many consider it the strongest US alliance in Asia today. President Obama has visited Seoul more than any other capital during his term in office and refers to the bilateral alliance as the lynchpin of not only security for the Republic of Korea and the United States but also for the Pacific as a whole Given this felicitous state, it is jarring then to hear that more than two-thirds of the ROK public seeks the reintroduction of US tactical nuclear weapons on their territory or, failing that, the development of an indigenous nuclear capability. In an attempt to understand this anomalous situation a strong alliance in which one partner seems insecure enough to seek new nuclear guarantees the Pacific Forum CSIS, with support from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), brought 30 senior security specialists, academics, and current and former government officials from the United States and the Republic of Korea (all attending in their private capacities), and 17 Pacific Forum CSIS Young Leaders to Hawaii in February 2012 for two days of discussion on the status and future of the security alliance. Although the bilateral relationship is as strong as ever, many issues will strain this relationship in the months ahead. While this report has been reviewed by all participants, it is not meant to be a consensus document; its conclusions reflect the views of the chair alone.