In praise of Korean-US relations

As the United States of America approaches its 250th birthday next month, there are many kinds of columns written to celebrate two and a half centuries of life in pursuit of democracy, liberty and equality. Many choose to focus on aspects of the present in need of minor or major repair. My celebratory column will concern America’s friendship with South Korea. It has been a blessing, forged of necessity in war but hewn and made more fundamental through over 70 years of cooperation. The people of the United States owe much to their friendships and alliances, in particular to the people of South Korea.

The United States entered the 1950-53 Korean War after North Korea attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950. Pushed all the way to Busan, the joint forces fought back and eventually established armistice boundaries along Panmunjeom. This place, featured in high-profile visits by recent South and North Korean Presidents and by Donald Trump, still marks the fact that the Korean War hasn’t concluded.

This sobering fact occasions some comments about superpower relations. We now somewhat regularly see Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un visit one another and work on improving their relations. Sino-American relations limit the possibilities for a fuller peace on the Korean Peninsula and will do so for some time.

South Korea and America have forged a longstanding security alliance that continues across Republican and Democratic administrations. Its strength is key to preserving freedom and democracy in Northeast Asia and America. It has also enabled and seen greater cooperation between South Korea and its former colonizer, Japan. Just as the United States cooperates with its former colonizer, the United Kingdom, the dictum put in Socrates’ mouth by Plato, “Today’s enemies, tomorrow’s friends,” is true for Korea’s security relations with Japan.

America and South Korea are partners for peace, trade and cultural exchange. Despite recent events, the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement is the basis for over 200 billion dollars in annual trade in goods and over 40 billion in services. South Korea is one of America’s top trade partners. Its excellence in electronics, automobiles and heavy machinery is notable. Other areas of exchange include semiconductors, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and AI.

South Korea emerged from decades of military rule and wrested control of the military from civilian leaders in the 1980s. America likewise now faces a growing conflict over the limits of executive power in our own republic. Many commentators rightly note the differences between our states. South Korea has a unitary government and America has a federal system. The cultures differ, too, in history and contemporary composure.

Korean children learn English from elementary through high school. That’s twelve years of English. By comparison, Americans have much less knowledge of the Korean language, with only over 100,000 students pursuing Korean language studies. I think that over time, our societies will continue to learn and benefit from each other, if we let that happen. Certainly, more American adults need to speak Korean and to study foreign languages.

The popularization of Korean culture was preceded by waves of immigration from Korea to the United States, with hundreds of thousands of immigrants. Many American cities and towns now have sizable Korean populations and feature Korean-style restaurants, shops and cultural outlets. Over one million Americans visit South Korea each year. Countless sites of cooperation and exchange between our peoples enrich both countries and societies.

Korea was once known as “the Land of the Morning Calm” and “Hermit Kingdom”— a small and developing state. That certainly is no more. Due to the industry and success of the Korean people, and the vitalizing role of trade partners like the United States, South Korea is now in the top 15 global economies. Its military capability ranks in the top 10.

What was once a big brother and little brother type of relationship is now on a more equal footing. I think that the friendship between our two countries is responsible for prosperity and happiness for both peoples, and I pray that this friendship will continue to thrive for centuries to come.

Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and a past visiting professor at Hanyang University, Graduate School of Public Administration.