Publication

American Alliance Realignment and Korea's Choices

As the United States debates recalibrating its alliances, this report examines Korea's choices across four dimensions: the defense commitment, forces and support, decision procedures, and costs. It distinguishes three American approaches, from ending commitments to strengthening extended deterrence, verifies Korea's reconnaissance and missile-defense programs at their actual stages, and shows why cost comparisons must match like with like. Drawing on the Institute's RIO 2026-05 poll, it finds that 69.6% would keep or enlarge U.S. Forces Korea while attitudes on costs and the alliance's form diverge sharply. The report recommends keeping the defense commitment while renegotiating roles and support function by function, with staged verification, explicit decision procedures for activities beyond the Peninsula, and payment judgments made only after comparing functions provided with self-investment alternatives.