By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Seoul should redefine its partnership with Washington as the security environment on the Korean Peninsula is shifting, a security expert says.
In a paper prepared for a conference of the Korean Political Science Association, Lee Sang-hyun, director of the security studies program at the Sejong Institute, observes the South Korea-U.S. alliance would face a hard test if the discussion of a peace regime is in the pipeline.
``The alliance, which was focused on a military partnership, played a critical role in defending democracy here over the past half century. If the discourse of a peace regime gains momentum, it is unavoidable that the status of the Seoul-Washington relations will be changed,'' Lee said.
The security expert, however, says there are still many challenges ahead in achieving a peace regime on the peninsula.
Lee's analysis comes when the prospect of peace has been elevated after North Korea destroyed a cooling tower at its main nuclear reactor in Yongbyon last month.
U.S. President George W. Bush announced plans to remove North Korea from a list of states sponsoring terrorism shortly after the demolition of the cooling tower.
Following a series of positive moves, a new round of the six-party talks to end the communist state's nuclear weapons programs is to open in Beijing, Thursday, to move the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear program forward.
Lee stresses that the role of the South Korea-U.S. alliance would still count in an era of peace.
``Beijing is our neighbor, and, therefore, the decision-makers should find ways of expanding ties with China in social and cultural arenas. But the relationship with Washington has gone beyond the level that we have with China, evolving into a solid security partnership.'' Lee says.
``Consequently, the nature of South Korea's relations with China is different from the one it has with the United States. Policymakers in Seoul should keep in mind that both relations count when they map out policy responses,'' he says.
The security expert predicts the presence of a United Nations Command (UNC) in Seoul would invite a heated pros and cons debate when the discussion of replacing the current armistice agreement to a peace treaty is in full swing in the future.
``Seoul should consider leaving the UNC intact and rearranging its roles in the post-denuclearization era. For example, we can switch the primary function of the command from a body managing the armistice agreement to one that will promote regional peace and security,'' he says.
Lee also puts forth that Seoul should convince Washington that both sides could achieve joint gains through a peace regime.
He adds, ``Peace on the peninsula would also pave the way for multilateral security cooperation in Northeast Asia, which would help Washington save money on its counter-terrorism activities.''