Assessing the U.S.-ROK Alliance and Its Geopolitical Landscape

On April 14, 2025, the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), with support from the Korea Foundation, convened a dinner briefing with senior Congressional staffers who are a part of NBR’s Pacific Rim Congressional Study Group from House and Senate constituencies with relevance to the Indo-Pacific. This briefing offered attendees a candid, informal forum to interact with a bipartisan and bicameral group of colleagues and to engage leading experts on their assessment and outlook for the U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance.

Attendees in dialogue with the expert panelists discussed the United States’ perspective on its vital and comprehensive relationship with the ROK, and how the alliance is central to Indo-Pacific security and prosperity, extending beyond defense to encompass deep economic and cultural ties. Experts noted that while recent years saw significant strengthening of the bilateral partnership and trilateral cooperation with Japan, the alliance currently navigates a period of uncertainty driven by leadership transitions and political shifts in both Washington D.C. and Seoul. This creates anxiety regarding future U.S. commitments, burden-sharing, and trade policies. Looming over these dynamics is the escalating threat from North Korea, marked by advancing nuclear and missile capabilities, a more hostile doctrine, and a significantly deepened strategic partnership with Russia, including a mutual defense treaty, which further complicates regional stability and nonproliferation efforts.

Participants

Panelists

Naoko Aoki, Political Scientist, RAND Corporation
Doug Strub, Senior Director, Research and Programs, NBR
Clint Work, Research Fellow for Northeast Asia, National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies

Moderator

Jerome Siangco, Senior Manager, Development and Outreach, NBR