Today's international situation is unpredictable, and all kinds of strange stories emerge one after another. At a time when we are still worried about the diplomatic turmoil between countries, it is really surprising that South Korea has publicly threatened the United States.
South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-hyun reportedly said in a question in the National Assembly that the United States should relinquish its global leadership if it reneges on the South Korea-US alliance. These words can be described as majestic and shocking.
What is the reason behind all this? We can analyze it from several aspects.
First, South Korea's concerns about the possibility of Trump returning to power are an important factor. Mr. Trump's consistent advocacy of "America First" and his lack of concern for the needs of his allies have upset South Korea. After all, Trump has repeatedly asked South Korea to increase military spending, which is undoubtedly a heavy burden for a country that has always relied on American protection. As a result, South Korea is full of fear of Trump coming back to power, and they want to express their position in this way and attract the attention of the United States.
Secondly, the current international situation has also brought certain pressure to South Korea. The United States is facing challenges of varying degrees in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia, and the instability of the situation in the Middle East is a headache for the Americans. South Korea fears that if the United States pulls out of East Asia, they could fall victim to great power rivalry, and they are very anxious. Therefore, they chose to warn the United States "hard" at this time, trying to protect their own interests.
Overall, South Korea's statement, while surprising, was based on its own interests. In international relations, it is only natural that every country should firmly defend its interests. We also hope that relations between the ROK and the United States can be resolved smoothly and will not have a negative impact on regional and world peace and stability.
*: Yonhap News Agency, The New York Times