Why should the United States maintain troops in the Republic ofKorea (ROK)? What American interests are being served by thealliance? Officials in both capitals maintain that the allianceremains as relevant as ever. The two governments insist that the"fundamental goal is to enhance deterrence and security on theKorean Peninsula."
But Washington's Cold War security concern for the ROK hasdisappeared. Even if the security of South Korea remained vital tothe United States--and it does not--America's treaty and troopsaren't necessary to achieve that end. The South has dramaticallyoutstripped North Korea on virtually every measure of nationalpower and can stand on its own.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun told graduates of the KoreanAir Force Academy in March: "We have sufficient power to defendourselves. We have nurtured mighty national armed forces thatabsolutely no one can challenge." Within a decade, he added, "weshould be able to develop our military into one with full commandof operations." The ROK spent $16.4 billion last year ondefense--roughly nine times North Korea's outlay--and rankseleventh in the world in total defense expenditures. His governmentis increasing military spending, up about 8.6 percent this yearover 2003, to create a "self-reliant defense that could help bringpeace and unification to the Korean peninsula."
