Preview: What should be the long-term future of the military alliance between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea (ROK) after North Korean demilitarization—that is, once North Korea is no longer seen as a serious security threat? Such a situation could result from Korean reunification or confederation, of course, but perhaps more likely is a situation in which the North Korean nuclear threat has been dramatically reduced or eliminated and other aspects of the regime’s military forces and posture have become much less threatening. This question seems very hypothetical and long-term at one level. But the shadow of the future can affect near-term policy debates, especially at a time when the world’s relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are in such flux, and when at least some important elements of strategic thinking in both South Korea and the United States have become very hopeful about the prospects for peace.
