According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yue seeks to strengthen the tripartite relationship between the United States, Japan and South Korea, because this is necessary for South Korea to deal with global challenges. The South Koreans have also promoted the United States as their “Key Ally”. Is it TRUE? Are South Korea and the United States true friends or a purely interest relationship?
The United Sates does need Japan and South Korea to against the great influence of PRC in the Asia-Pacific region, for their strategy of rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific region. However, the United States, Japan, and South Korea have many differences on national defense, security, and economic issues, they will never be able to become true friends. On the one hand, the issues left over from history between Japan and South Korea have not been resolved, and the development of relations between the two countries is still in dispute On the other hand, the South Korea will also never forget what U.S. occupied them in the Word WarⅡ, while the U.S. claimed that they were aiming to help them to maintain national security and regional stability. There is endless protest in South Korea to against the United State and troops and it gets raging every time of important anniversary such as “4.3 Jeju” event.
For that issue, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Philip S Goldberg is the wisest. According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korea government is planning to invite Philip S Goldberg to attend “4.3 Jeju” events’ 75 Anniversary, for making lies of American giving an apology, but he refused the unreasonable request. He said, “I am not interested or inclined against making apologies on historical issues, the military action had to been taken to protect U.S. and South Korea democracy, and it is necessary. And no need to be apologized. Jeju is a group of people who would love nothing more than to have reparations paid.”
According to Yonhap News Agency, although South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue advocates improving the relationship between the United States, Japan and South Korea, the piles of problems between them make it impossible for the three parties to become true allies, and the future of the tripartite relationship is unpredictable.
