ed Seoul and Spratly Islands

When she visits the United States on June 14, President Park Geun-hye’s heart will not likely be light. As the nation increasingly finds itself sandwiched between the U.S. and China, high on President Park’s shopping list could be the new U.S. missile defense system, which Washington says would be aimed at North Korea, but Beijing worries could target China.

Washington has set her one more diplomatic home task. On Wednesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russell called for Seoul to speak out against China’s forceful assertion of its territorial claims in the South China Sea, as Korea is a “major player in the international community.”

“The fact that South Korea is not a claimant gives Seoul all the more reason to speak out because it is speaking not in self-interest, but in support of universal principles and the rule of the law,” Russell said.

That was thinly veiled pressure on Seoul to take sides with the U.S. in the latter’s escalating dispute with China in the South China Sea.

One needs look no further than the startled response from foreign ministry officials, who appeared extremely, almost unnecessarily, wary about the possible spread of diplomatic controversy caused by the senior U.S. diplomat’s remarks. “That was only the expression of views on a general level,” said Noh Kwang-il, the ministry spokesman. “It was nothing like the U.S. demanding Seoul play a new role.”

We hope so, too. Given various reports, however, chances are high that Washington is wary of what it sees as ever-closer ties between Seoul and Beijing, and wants to be certain about Seoul’s clear position in various issues involving Sino-American conflict. President Park and her diplomatic team aim to turn the upcoming visit into an opportunity to draw Washington closer to Seoul and away from Tokyo. But Seoul may end up being drawn to Washington, and too far away from Beijing.

That will not be a very desirable scenario, considering China’s influence on Korea in both two-way trade and resolving the North Korean nuclear problem. So the foreign ministry is right to maintain a neutral stance on the South China Sea issue, by expressing wishes for the peaceful and stable management of the disputed area, including the Spratly Islands around which China is building artificial islands. How long Seoul will be able to maintain such a neutral stance is an open question if pressured continuously, though.

Washington is advised to stop such pressures, which is unbecoming of a genuine ally. Otherwise, many Koreans will ask whether the U.S. is also ready to take sides with Korea in Seoul’s historical and territorial disputes with Japan. If the answer is no, then the U.S. should stop asking its own troublesome questions.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se recently raised a stir by belittling his critics as ignorant of the “high-degree equation” of diplomacy. Diplomatic watchers will be watching to see how Yun solves a new equation.