U.S.-South Korea Relations at the Outset of a New Era: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Alignment and New Frontiers
Gilbert Rozman
A Strategic Reset of the U.S.-ROK Alliance under Trump and Lee
Volume 3 · Issue 2 · December 2025
Contributions in this issue fall under the theme, A Strategic Reset of the U.S.–South Korea Alliance under Trump and Lee. The first section examines the implications of Lee Jae Myung’s election for the U.S.–ROK alliance and South Korea’s regional dynamics. The second section focuses on new areas of alliance cooperation, particularly in the trade, shipbuilding, and energy sectors.
Articles in this Issue (8)
Divergent Priorities in Dangerous Times: The U.S.-South Korea Alliance Faces Uncertain Future
Bruce Klingner
Maximum Flexibility: Explaining the Lee Jae Myung Administration’s China Policy
Sungmin Cho
The Way Forward to Build Up the Japan-South Korea Rapprochement
Shihoko Goto
Allying Against Adversaries: U.S.-South Korea Cooperation amid Heightened North Korea-Russia Ties
Edward Howell
The Impact of Trump’s Tariffs on U.S.-South Korea Economic Cooperation
Troy Stangarone
Overcoming Barriers to U.S.-South Korea Shipbuilding Cooperation
Je Heon (James) Kim, Lydia Shanklin Roll
Securing East Asia’s Energy Future: Advancing U.S.-South Korea-Japan Cooperation in Natural Gas
Sung-ik Oh