The US-South Korea Alliance and Ongoing Cost-Sharing Talks

Past
 Event

In the context of the ongoing stalemate in alliance cost-sharing talks, Stimson organized a webinar with ROK Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook.

This webinar focused on the stalemate in the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) cost-sharing talks between Washington and Seoul, one week after President Trump rejected Seoul’s latest offer. Ambassador Hwang discussed various issues in response to questions from the moderator and congressional staffers, including: the notable difference between the Trump administration’s approach and that of previous administrations; the effect of a prolonged stalemate on alliance readiness; possible alternative negotiating methods for approaching cost-sharing; the increasingly important role of domestic politics within South Korea on the alliance; and the need for greater and more skilled alliance management moving forward. The webinar was moderated by Dr. Clint Work, Fellow for Stimson’s Security for a New Century and 38 North programs. The featured speaker was Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook, a recently retired career diplomat for the Republic of Korea (ROK). Among his many impactful roles, he was South Korea’s top delegate for cost-sharing negotiations (2013-2014), the Six-Party Talks (2014-2016), and Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2016-2018).

Additional Related Content:

A discussion on cost-sharing dynamics in the US-ROK and US-Japan alliance, Seoul-Tokyo relations, China’s rise, and US political transition.

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