Korea is a pawn to America, valuable only so far as it is an extension of American interests in the world (at least east asia). But America has multiple and shifting alliances, and the priority of the US-ROK alliance must be weighed against the waxing and waning benefits that America gets from other relationships (i.e. US-Japan, US-Taiwan and other non-formalized relationships such as it has with China). There can be no guarantee that America will always "be there" for South Korea. Your point, right? Exactly right. Please continue your call for the ROK to muscle up for it's own self-defense. It is time....
Jim Pattison
Greetings from New England. My name is Christine Leah, I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Grand Strategy Program at Yale. I read your op-ed yesterday when it appeared in my daily nuclear news. Needless to say, I really enjoyed the piece. I've also questioned the credibility of extended deterrence in op-eds, especially that it now 'operates' in a maritime context (compared to Cold War European land context), although it's probably made me unpopular. I wanted to congratulate you for expressing your opinion and say how much I enjoyed your piece.
Christine Leah