West Point cadets visit Korea Times, discuss alliance, democracy, media

West Point cadets pose with Oh Young-jin, sixth from left, president and publisher of The Korea Times, during their visit to the newspaper’s office in Seoul, Wednesday. From left are Raphael Fabyanic, Heera Kalidindi, Jonathan Weikel, Aidan Djavadi, Nicholas Murphy, Oh, Zachary Daher, Maj. Adam Cucchiara, Ethan Harder, Lia Stokes, Zachary Swierz, Storm Garcia, Gregory Frazier and Easton Deyoe. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point visited The Korea Times in Seoul, Wednesday, as part of a regional trip across the Philippines, Korea and Japan, aimed at understanding how the U.S. engages with its allies in the Asia-Pacific.

The group is traveling across Asia to better understand how the U.S. works with its allies. They chose Korea for its large U.S. military presence and long history as an ally.

The visit brought together future U.S. military officers and the Korea’s oldest English-language newspaper, founded in November 1950 during the Korean War (1950-53) to inform U.S. troops and the international community about developments on the peninsula.

The cadets arrived in Seoul on Sunday and spent several days visiting key military sites, including Camp Humphreys, the Demilitarized Zone and Camp Casey, where they met U.S. Forces Korea personnel and observed joint operations with Korean troops. The itinerary also included meetings with industry leaders at Hyundai Motor Group and Hanwha Aerospace.

That background shaped much of the conversation with The Korea Times. The cadets focused on how the Korea-U.S. alliance is viewed today and asked about recent developments in Korea, including the declaration of martial law and its impact on public trust in the military and democracy.

They also showed interest in how Korea’s story is told to the outside world. The Korea Times, which once served mainly U.S. troops stationed here, now reaches a largely global readership, with about 80 percent of its audience based outside Korea, according to the paper.

The cadets asked how news organizations respond to that shift, from changing reading habits to growing political polarization. There was also interest in how newsrooms are dealing with new technology, including the use of artificial intelligence in reporting and content production.

Oh Young-jin, president and publisher of The Korea Times, said the alliance needs to be viewed in its broader context, noting that it was built on shared sacrifice during the Korean War. He said it is important not to lose sight of that foundation even as new challenges emerge.

Reflecting on the visit, Cadet Aidan Djavadi said the group came away with a stronger sense of the alliance.

“South Korea truly is a friend and ally, and always has been,” he said. “Forged in blood.”