South Korea, US: allies no longer? By Oh Young-jin

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a red card as he meets with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., Tuesday. Reuters

What state is the ROK-U.S. alliance in?

On the basis of a series of unilateral moves by Washington, it appears to be in so sorry a state that it is an open question whether it can effectively work toward denuclearizing North Korea.

This unilateralism, typical of U.S. President Donald Trump, is running the risk of driving a wedge into the alliance, giving an edge to the North in the nuclear negotiations.

But Trump obviously can’t learn from experience ― dealing with the North is frustrating work that may never be done alone.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said the U.S. would undo its decision to suspend joint military drills with South Korea.

Mattis’ remarks were aimed at pressuring the North, which reportedly threatened to pull out of the ongoing negotiations with the U.S.

Trump expressed his first regret about the North’s foot-dragging, canceling Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Pyongyang.

The problem is that Seoul has been kept in the dark and was never consulted about Mattis’ revelation on the drills.

Cheong Wa Dae, if it were upset by the lack of courtesy from its partner, didn’t show it and tried to contain the damage.

“The U.S. didn’t make a request for consultations, so we have not received one,” presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters Wednesday. “No,” he said, when asked whether there was the problem with the alliance.

Obviously, Kim tried to prevent Mattis’ reference from affecting the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which is scheduled for September. “I don’t agree,” he said, when asked whether the U.S. does not consent to the inter-Korean summit.

Before the presidential briefing, the Foreign Ministry was also caught flat-footed when it said there was no agreement to change the current ROK-U.S. position on the war games.

It was not the first time. Trump unilaterally cancelled the joint drills during the June 12 summit with the North’s Kim.

Then, as now, Seoul was not informed beforehand, but soldiered on without reacting emotionally after being slighted by its ally.

True, the government is left with few choices but to accept the U.S. lead, however erratic it may be, but this feeling of being snubbed will be long remembered by the Korean people.

That would be mixed with the U.S. attitude of no longer respecting the existing alliances, as in the case of NATO and ties with Seoul and agreements such as NAFTA and the KORUS FTA.

How strongly would Koreans feel tied by the alliance with the U.S. when the chips were down? That is a moot point for Americans who plan for after Trump.

Source:koreatimes.co.k