Pathway for ROK-US Alliance : Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance and Conventional-Nuclear Integration(CNI)

Marking 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement and ROK-US alliance in 2023, this article aims to look back on the development of the alliance and contextualize Yoon Suk Yeol and Biden administration’s recent efforts in strengthening the alliance. In particular, this article focuses on mapping strategic continuity as well as changes embedded in Yoon administration’s ‘global comprehensive strategic alliance.’ This article also delves into strategic implications and progress in Yoon administration’s efforts to promote ‘conventional-nuclear integration(CNI)’ in strengthening US’s extended deterrence commitments. The article is structured as follows. First, building upon previous literatures on the ROK-US alliance, the article analyzes the impact of recent Trump administration on the cohesion of the ROK-US alliance, and how current Yoon-Biden administration has worked to reverse the effects. Second, the article highlights how ROK-US alliance envisions horizontal and vertical deepening of the alliance under the strategic concept of global comprehensive strategic alliance. Third, the article delves into the evolution of ROK-US extended deterrence and implications of CNI. Lastly, the article concludes with alliance’s tasks ahead, with particular emphasis on possible return of Trump administration and its implications on the alliance.