Seoul, Washington Advised to Build Multi-Tasking Alliance
By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
A group of alliance experts said South Korea and the United States should develop a ``multi-tasking'' alliance to address new challenges including a common approach to the growing influence of China in the region.
``The alliance should be a `multi-tasking' entity ― a security partnership that will be configured to address a wide array of regional problems,'' said a report by 30 experts of the two countries Monday.
The members of the U.S.-Korea Strategic Forum presented the report, summing up their three-year review and research on the alliance by experts including John Ikenberry, professor of Princeton University; Mitchell Reiss, vice head for affairs at the College of William and Mary; and Moon Chung-in, professor of Yonsei University.
Participants of the forum said the Seoul-Washington alliance played an important role in stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula and East Asia over the past 50 years but noted that the traditional alliance faces security challenges due to regional and global changes.
``The United States and Korea must begin to sketch a new and shared strategic vision that goes beyond tactical questions relating to North Korea,'' the report said. ``The alliance must be seen in wider and longer-term perspective as an institutionalized security partnership with a mandate to address both traditional and new security challenges.''
The forum members picked six main issues ― North Korea; a common approach to China; adjusting the alliance mission; regional security cooperation; the Seoul-Washington free trade agreement; and winning public support.
``One of the priorities for Korea and the United States regarding North Korea is that the two should narrow down the gap on the perception of the communist country,'' Moon said. ``Under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, the gap was wide.''
However, he expressed hope that the incoming government of Lee Myung-bak will narrow the perception gap.
The participants also said the United States needs to maintain its 25,000 troops in South Korea. Washington has decided to cut the troops from the current 28,500 to 25,000 by the end of this year and a further reduction is under discussion.
``Even as the American strategic priorities shift on a global level, the United States reaffirms its commitment to the security of South Korea,'' the report said. ``In doing this, it should also make a commitment to the basing of at least 25,000 troops in South Korea.''
The report is a result of four-time discussion of the forum members in Seoul and Washington since 2005.