The Vision Group on U.S.-ROK Relations: Insights and Recommendations Summary

[Recommendation 1: Now would be a good time for Washington and Seoul to undertake a strategic review of their future alliance and relationship.] North Korea North Korea remains the United States’ and South Korea’s preeminent shared area of concern because of the gravity of the risk that it poses. [...] [Recommendation 5: One new approach might be for the United States and South Korea to make a joint, public offer to North Korea including both demands and concessions.] This would have the benefits of giving North Korea something to react to; would show the world that the United States and South Korea were actively pursuing a diplomatic solution to North Korea denuclearization; and would demonstra. [...] The United States in the past has valued bilateral relations with friends and allies, but also has initiated or promoted groupings such as NATO, the Organization of American States (OAS), the OECD, the OSCE, and the EU. [...] In the words of one Vision Group participant, “The United States will want to push the boat out into the water and will want our allies and partners to do the rowing.” The rise of middle power diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific area has changed the region over the past four years. [...] [Recommendation 7: South Korea and the United States should discuss the issue of Chinese economic pressure with countries of the region to consider whether a coordinated response would be appropriate.] Hedging or Shaping? It has been crudely put that South Korea will have to “choose” between the United States and China, but this grossly over-simplifies a complex policy environment to the point of.