OPINION:
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of traveling to South Korea with my House Foreign Affairs Committee colleagues. On April 27, I will have the honor of welcoming President Yoon Suk Yeol as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress during his visit to the United States. President Yoon’s visit commemorates the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK, as South Korea is officially known)—an alliance based on mutual security and economic interests, as well as dedication to the rule of law, human rights, and democracy.
The U.S.-ROK partnership is one of the most successful bilateral relationships in history. Built upon shared sacrifice throughout the Korean War, the United States and South Korea became formal allies, signing a Mutual Defense Treaty on October 1, 1953. Today, our Mutual Defense Treaty endures, and our relationship has expanded upon its solid foundation. South Korea supports U.S. troop presence on the peninsula, with its military expenditures amounting to 2.8% of its GDP, one of the largest percentages among U.S. allies. Korea is also our seventh largest trading partner, with $227 billion of trade in 2022. South Korea continues to invest in the U.S., with foreign direct investment reaching $72.5 billion in 2021, up 14.9% from the previous year.
The ROK is also a trusted partner when it comes to battling the existential threats our world faces, such as infectious diseases and climate change. At the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment conference, hosted by President Biden last fall, the ROK announced a pledge of $100 million, a fourfold increase from its Sixth Replenishment pledge. The pledged amount will go to fight HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as supporting resilient health systems around the world. South Korean companies have also invested billions in the United States creating thousands of American jobs in clean energy and electrical vehicle battery manufacturing.
Additionally, the robust U.S.-South Korea relationship is critical to advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific in the 21st century. In March, South Korea co-hosted the second Summit for Democracy, and announced they would hold a future third Summit. In December of 2022, Korea unveiled its Indo-Pacific Strategy, which shares the United States Indo-Pacific Strategy’s goals to strengthen the rules-based international order to ensure a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
As we enter the 70th year of the alliance, our relationship faces increasingly complex challenges. North Korea presents a significant security threat to both nations. North Korea (officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK) has resumed an intense missile testing regime, launching both short range missiles designed to target the peninsula as well as Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) that pose a risk to the continental United States. North Korea has also tested six nuclear weapons and may attempt another nuclear test soon.
However, the DPRK’s antagonistic activities are not the only threat to our shared values of promoting democracy, advancing human rights, and respect for a rules-based international order. Malign activity by the government of the People’s Republic of China represents a security risk throughout the region. COVID-19 has demonstrated the need for international cooperation to prepare and respond to the next pandemic. Washington and Seoul must also continue to cooperate on emerging technologies that will dominate the 21st century to include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and clean energy technology.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Celebrating 70 Years: The United States & South Korea Alliance
As the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Indo-Pacific Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Korea, one of the largest bipartisan caucuses on Capitol Hill, I am enthusiastic about working with the Yoon Administration to advance the bilateral relationship. I commend President Yoon’s visit to Japan last month and look forward to working with both countries to advance the U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral partnership. I also applaud South Korea’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which will enhance the U.S.-South Korean economic relationship beyond the 2012 United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). The ROK has also been a dependable partner in assisting Ukraine throughout Russia’s war of aggression, with a recent $130 million pledge to address the humanitarian and infrastructure needs of Ukraine.
During my trip to South Korea earlier this month, I joined my House Foreign Affairs Committee colleagues in meeting with high-ranking officials including President Yoon, Foreign Minister Park Jin, and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo. The conversations we had in Korea reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to our shared values, unshakeable alliance, and enduring friendship.
The U.S.-ROK Alliance is one forged in war but has grown as our shared values and interests have brought both nations even closer together. The last 70 years have been an undoubted success, and I look forward to what the next 70 years will bring.
• U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D., is the Ranking Member of the Indo-Pacific Subcommittee the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic as well as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Korea Caucus. The longest-serving Indian American in Congress, he represents California’s Sixth Congressional District and was the Chief Medical Officer in Sacramento County during his 22 year medical career prior to elected office.
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