By Leon Whyte
Despite the strength of their ties, neither country should take the alliance for granted.
This two-part piece is the eighth installment in a series on the U.S. alliance with South Korea. Previous articles can be found in The Diplomat’s Koreas section.
Part 1 of this article, which looked at South Korean and U.S. perspectives on a post-unification alliance, showed that it is possible for the alliance to continue absent the North Korean threat, both to provide stability on the Korean peninsula as well as for geostrategic reasons. However, it also demonstrated that this is not guaranteed, and depends on how reunification takes place, and the attitudes of the U.S. and Korean people. While the two members of the alliance are key to any post-unification future, other actors in the region will play a role in the future of the alliance. This article looks at possible Japanese and Chinese perspectives of a post-unification alliance, and why it matters, and will also suggest how post-unification planning can start now.
Read the full story at The Diplomat