Why is Korea an indispensable ally of the U.S.?
Park Jin
Korea’s strategic location, robust democracy, industrial capacity, technological excellence and global partnerships support U.S. security and economic renewal. Indispensability rests on capability, connectivity and credibility: complementary strengths, cooperation and sustained trust.
Korea delivers the measurable alliance contributions emphasized by the Donald Trump Administration — military readiness, investment, employment and manufacturing — supporting U.S. technological leadership and industrial resilience. American Extended deterrence remains essential to Korean security. Seoul can shape the alliance’s future through reciprocal benefits.
The unravelling of the international order, selective enforcement by major powers and U.N. Security Council paralysis endanger middle powers. Korea needs stronger national defense and multilateral diplomacy defending the U.N. Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Rules remain strategic assets.
Korea leads memory semiconductor production and invests more than 5 percent of gross domestic product in research and development and is second globally in research intensity. It ranks third in industrial competitiveness, fourth in international patent applications, fifth in nuclear electricity production and in the 2026 Global Firepower Index. Its Danuri lunar orbiter, Nuri launch vehicle, defense industry and economic and energy footprint add strength.
Korea’s per capita GDP approaches $40,000; goods exports are expected to reach $1 trillion this year if momentum continues. On these projections, Korea would exceed Japan in both. Their combined nominal GDP, projected above $6 trillion, would rank fourth globally as a single economy, after the United States, the EU and China.
Manufacturing speed and scale, integrated supply chains and an experienced workforce deliver sophisticated semiconductors, ships, batteries and defense equipment reliably and competitively, meeting urgent requirements.
Korea supplies high-bandwidth memory (HBM) crucial to advanced computing and develops its own foundation models.
Korea, Japan and Taiwan form one of the world’s most concentrated semiconductor ecosystems: Samsung and SK hynix lead DRAM — including HBM — and NAND memory; Japan supplies critical materials and equipment; TSMC leads foundry manufacturing and is a global leader in advanced packaging. The Korean companies support the U.S. economy, supplying HBM essential to Nvidia’s artificial intelligence (AI) graphics processing units, and are projected to meet nearly 80 percent of its 2026 HBM demand.
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has made a quantum leap to third globally in Carnegie Endowment’s NeurIPS-based AI research ranking, behind Peking and Tsinghua universities and ahead of MIT and Stanford, up twelve places since 2022.
Research, robotics, precision manufacturing, communications and batteries advance physical AI. Joint laboratories, industrial test beds and researcher exchanges with American partners should advance AI, quantum technology, biotechnology and clean energy, with domestic investment in computing infrastructure, basic research and talent.
Korea provides Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek — the largest U.S. military base overseas — with land, supporting deterrence, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. Korea should strengthen reconnaissance, precision strike, missile defenses, ammunition reserves, cyber operations and resilient infrastructure. AI-enabled systems require rigorous testing and human responsibility. Wartime operational control should transfer when agreed conditions are met, supported by U.S. strategic capabilities.
The Nuclear Consultative Group should deepen planning and exercises; nuclear-powered submarine acquisition and peaceful fuel-cycle cooperation require agreed legal arrangements and safeguards.
Connectivity links U.S. security with Korean shipbuilding, defense production, semiconductors, batteries and biomanufacturing. The bilateral framework combines $150 billion for shipbuilding cooperation with a $200 billion strategic investment program advancing energy cooperation, including planned gas-fired power generation for AI data centers and a nuclear reactor construction framework.
Investment hubs include the U.S. states of Texas (Samsung semiconductors); Georgia (Hyundai, Kia, SK, and Hanwha manufacturing); Tennessee (batteries, materials, and appliances); Alabama (Hyundai automotive production); and Michigan (LG batteries). These investments connect workers, communities, governors and Congress across administrations. The Korean American community, about 2.2 million strong, including four members of Congress, contributes to the U.S. economy and society.
Commercial viability requires legal review, credible demand, sound returns, manageable financing and foreign-exchange risks, and protection of Korean companies’ interests. Investments should secure fair market access, procurement opportunities and long-term partnerships, respecting the agreed annual funding ceiling and financial safeguards. Reciprocity reinforces the alliance and public support.
Middle-power cooperation spans the Indo-Pacific: Japan offers maritime security, missile warning and semiconductor supply chains; Australia offers critical minerals and energy; Canada provides resources, clean energy, security cooperation and AI and quantum research; Indonesia offers industrial and digital connections with ASEAN; India has digital expertise, defense co-production and maritime security cooperation; and across Europe there are research networks, defense partnerships and technological standards.
Science diplomacy, shared research, resilient supply chains and coordinated responses to economic coercion reinforce the Korea-U.S. alliance and diversify risks. Relations with China require principled engagement and selective de-risking: Protect sensitive technologies, diversify critical supplies and cooperate where interests align, upholding sovereignty, maritime law and regional stability.
Credibility rests on democratic accountability, judicial independence, predictable regulation, fair competition, responsible AI and transparent safety standards.
Sustained innovation, reciprocal cooperation and trusted partnerships will make Korea an even more indispensable and vital U.S. ally, advancing shared security and prosperity.
Park Jin is South Korea's former foreign minister. He is a distinguished invited professor at KAIST.