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South Korea
Young Lee, KBS | June 2003
KBS's Young Lee argues that the relationship between his country and the U.S. needs to be re-affirmed.
For the past 50 years, the Republic of Korea and the United States have been enjoying amicable relations.
The so-called "blood pledge alliance" between the two nations was created based on Cold War ideology.
On the one hand, the U.S. and South Korea share the common economic value of capitalism, and they also share emotional bonds, having fought together during the Korean War.
On the other hand, the unbalanced relations between the minor and the major power eventually led to debates over the inequality of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
Roh Moo Hyun, president of South Korea |
Anti-U.S. sentiments
Still, the U.S. and South Korea have been maintaining their firm military alliance for the same goal: to deter the threat of communism and to defend the South in case of a pre-emptive attack by the North.
With the end of the Cold War balance of power, the U.S. emerged as the only super-power in the world.
The Cold War ideology, though it still exists among some Koreans, is drastically declining, especially among the younger generation.
Besides, South Korea has grown into an economic power, joining the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and successfully graduating from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) system.
Thus, the relative inferiority of South Korea has decreased and changes in the balance of power between the two nations have been growing slowly for the last 10 years.
On June 13, 2002, a U.S. armoured vehicle crushed two junior high school girls, Shim Mi-seon and Shin Hyo-sun, to death as they walked past a military convoy. The pictures of the two girls' dead bodies on the Internet aroused huge public sentiment among not only the older generation but also among students of the same age.
As a result, peaceful candlelight vigils took place across the country and the progress of the trial was broadcast to the public.
However, the two U.S. soldiers who drove the armoured vehicle were acquitted of the charge and were allowed to return home without being punished for the deaths of the two innocent girls. Through this case, many Koreans became aware of the unfairness of the Status of Forces Agreement and called for it to be revised.
A South Korean guard posted at the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea |
In addition, the case also acted as a catalyst in raising thorny issues, such as the size and the ways of deployment of the U.S. forces in South Korea, as well as the policy toward North Korea.
A rising tide of anti-U.S. sentiment and an elevated interest in U.S.-related affairs were also demonstrated in the Iraq war this year.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun – elected by those supporting progressive policies – backed the U.S. and dispatched Korean troops to Iraq.
His position was denounced by Koreans and the candlelight vigils initiated by the deaths of the two schoolgirls were continued in the antiwar protests.
Some doubts about sending the troops to Iraq existed not only among college students, labour unionists and female activists, but also among politicians and lawmakers themselves.
Two major events – the death of the schoolgirls and the antiwar protests – triggered the radical change in sentiments towards the U.S. and ongoing debates relating to these matters in Korea.
In this light, the present moment is a critical juncture for both the U.S. and South Korea at which point both sides need to re-establish and mature their existing ties.
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