Sources: Hearings, Asia Subcommittee House Committee on Foreign Affairs

No huge surprises—nor any clear legislative purpose--but a group of thoughtful Korea watchers provided an overview of recent issues earlier this week, ranging from the KORUS to the North Korean nuclear issues (podcast here). All waxed eloquent on the alliance, but with some predictable differences in emphasis.

• Chris Hill, former lead 6PT negotiator, comes down hard on China in his written statement. Rep. Chabot tried to beat up on him for his effort to negotiate in 2007-8, but he gave as good as he got and defended the calculated risk. But it is clear he feels burned by the experience and pulled no punches on the North Koreans.
• Bruce Klingner, a close watcher of the military dimensions of the alliance, argues that the US-Korea alliance is militarily as important as the US-Japan alliance and should be treated as such. He underlined recent Korean military efforts, but also highlighted a number of ongoing weaknesses in tactical integration, missile defense, and in how to operate jointly post OPCON transfer. But perhaps the high point of the hearings was Klingner’s detailed, point-by-point rebuttal—yet again—of Rep. Brad Sherman’s fixation on the idea that the KORUS would lead to the duty-free import of North Korean products. Sherman patronized the witnesses, but walked out without really listening to what they said.
• Ms. Tami Overby President of the U.S- Korea Business Council made the important point that passage of the KORUS—which the National Assembly has yet to do—is not the same as implementation and that institutions for monitoring implementation will be critical.
• Abe Kim, Vice President of the KEI, had the job of talking about politics in the South. He argued that support for the KORUS is stronger than it looks, although noting the monkey-wrench thrown into the machinery by the decisive GNP loss in the Seoul mayoral election.

The Expanding U.S.–Korea Alliance

Webcast

Mr. Bruce Klingner Senior Research Fellow for Northeast Asia The Heritage Foundation

Ms. Tami Overby President U.S. – Korea Business Council

Abraham Kim, Ph.D. Vice President Korea Economic Institute