USA and Korean relationships:

South Korea–United States relations have been extensive since 1950, when the United
States helped establish the modern state of South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea,
and fought on its UN-sponsored side in the Korean War (1950–1953). During the subsequent
four decades, South Korea experienced tremendous economic, political and military growth, and
significantly reduced U.S. dependency. From Woo’s administration to Roh Moo-hyun's
administration, South Korea sought to establish an American partnership, which has made
the Seoul–Washington relationship subject to some strains, especially with the Anti-US/Korean
sentiments. However, relations between the United States and South Korea have greatly
strengthened under the conservative, pro-U.S. Lee Myung-bak administration. At the 2009 G20
London summit, U.S. President Barack Obama called South Korea "one of America's closest
allies and greatest friends." In addition, South Korea has been designated as a Major non-NATO
ally.
According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 58% of South Koreans view the United States'
influence positively, while 28% view it negatively; 55% of Americans view South Korea's
influence positively, while 34% view it negatively. South Korea is one of the most pro-American
nations in the world.
The new US Ambassador to South Korea arrived in Seoul on July 7, 2018. The post had been
vacant since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017. Harry Harris, a former head
of the US military's Pacific Command, has expressed his resolve to work as an ambassador to
strengthen the alliance between the United States and South Korea.
History:
Korean War (6.25 War)
Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the 38th Parallel escalated into open warfare when the
North Korean forces invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. The War broke out when North
Korea invaded South Korea. In response, 16 member countries of the United Nations, including
the United States, came to the defense of South Korea. It was the first significant armed conflict
of the Cold War with extensive deployment of American and other troops.
Following the end of World War II, the United States established a bilateral alliance with South
Korea instead of establishing a multilateral alliance with South Korea and other East Asian
countries.
Moreover, the "U.S. alliance with South Korea would consequently have three functions. First, it
would serve as part of a network of alliances and military installations designed to ring the
Soviet threat in the Pacific. Second, it would deter a second North Korean attack, with U.S.
ground troops serving as the "tripwire" guaranteeing U.S. involvement. Third, it would restrain
the South from engaging in adventurism."
South Korea and the United States agreed to a military alliance in 1953. They called it "the
relationship forged in blood". In addition, roughly 29,000 United States Forces Korea troops are
stationed in South Korea. In 2009, South Korea and the United States pledged to develop the
alliance’s vision for future defense cooperation. Currently South Korean forces would fall under
United States control should the war resume. This war time control is planned to revert to South
Korea in 2020.
At the request of the United States, President Park Chung-hee sent troops to Vietnam to assist
American troops during the Vietnam War, maintaining the second largest contingent of foreign
troops after the United States. In exchange, the United States increased military and economic
assistance to South Korea. President Roh Moo-hyun, despite having been elected on a liberal
platform, also authorized dispatching a small contingent of troops to Iraq in 2004 at the request
of President George W. Bush.
Joint vision for the Alliance of South Korea and the United States of America
The Alliance is adapting to changes in the 21st Century security environment. We will maintain a
robust defense posture, backed by allied capabilities which support both nations' security
interests.... We will continue to deepen our strong bilateral economic, trade and investment
relations.... In the Asia-Pacific region we will work jointly with regional institutions and
partners to foster prosperity, keep the peace, and improve the daily lives of the people of the
region.... The United States of America and the Republic of Korea will work to achieve our
common Alliance goals through strategic cooperation at every level.
The U.S. Government (June 16, 2009)
Since 2009 air forces of South Korea and the U.S.A. have conducted the annual joint exercises
named "Max Thunder". In 2018 the drills began on May 11 and continued until May 17.
At a Cabinet meeting in Seoul on 10 July 2018 the government has decided not to hold this
year's Ulchi drill scheduled for next month. Government said the decision was made in line with
recent political and security improvements on the peninsula and the suspension of South Korea-
U.S. joint military exercises.
There were six round of talks according to the defense costs. Last ones are held 22-23 August.
The latest negotiations come as Washington wants Seoul to shoulder a greater burden, including
costs for "operational support" of deploying strategic assets from outside the peninsula to counter
North Korean military threats. Under the current five-year contract which will expire in
December, Seoul's cost-sharing for stationing the 28-thousand-500-member U.S. Forces Korea
for this year is set at around 960 billion won or 856 million dollars.

Issues:
Since the end of the Korean War, South Korea and the United States have maintained strong ties.
Opinion polling:
According to Pew Research Center, 84% of South Koreans have a favorable view towards the
United States and Americans (ranked within top 4 among the countries in the world). Also,
according to a Korean Gallup poll, South Korea views the U.S. as the most favorable country in
the world. In the political side, the United States supported South Korea after 1945 as a "staunch
bastion against communism", even when it was ruled by a dictatorship. In a March 2011 Gallup
Poll, 74% of South Koreans said that they believe that the U.S. influence in the world is
favorable, and in a November 2011 Gallup Poll, 57% of South Koreans approved of U.S.
leadership, with 22% disapproving; by contrast, only 30% of South Koreans approved of China's
leadership.
Americans are steadily viewing South Korea more positively as well, with the 2011 Gallup poll –
a 65% favorability rating – being the highest rating to date. Thus, the relationship between the
two countries, as indicated by polling results, is steadily improving.
According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 58% of South Koreans view U.S. influence
positively, the highest rating for any surveyed Asian country.
Environmental degradation:
On February 9, 2000, the Eighth U.S. Army ordered twenty boxes of formaldehyde, a toxic fluid,
dumped into the Han River. South Korean environmentalist groups protested that it could be
harmful to aquatic life forms, but the U.S. military insisted that it was diluted with water. This
incident was satirized in the 2006 South Korean monster film The Host, where a horrible mutated
monster from the river menaces the inhabitants of Seoul.
Beef controversy:
The Government of South Korea banned imports of U.S. beef in 2003 in response to a case
of mad cow disease in Washington State. In 2008, the protests against U.S. beef recalled the
student "pro-democracy" movements of the 1980s. Nevertheless, South Korea became the
world's third largest U.S. beef importer in 2010. With its strong import growth, South Korea
surpassed Japan for the first time to become the largest market for U.S. beef in Asia and in 2016
US beef imports in Korea reached a value of $1 billion.

Economic relations:
South Korea and the United States are important economic partners to each other. Nearly 60
billion dollars of trade volume between the two countries display the significant economic
interdependence between the two states. However, according to the CRS report, South Korea is
much more economically reliant on the United States than the United States is on South Korea.
This is supported with the fact that the United States ranks first as a trading partner for South
Korea. However, a recent policy brief introduces the fact that the ratio of exports to the United
States has declined significantly from around 40 percent to less than 20 percent in 2002 while the
share of exports to China has increased drastically which led China to become the number one
export destination for South Korea. Although the economy of South Korea and the United States
is becoming more integrated with the recent ratification of the KORUS Free Trade Agreement,
there remains some major trade disputes between the two nations in the areas including
telecommunications, automotive industry, intellectual property rights issues, pharmaceutical
industry, and agricultural industry especially in terms of rice and beef.