The Future of US-Korean Relations: The Imbalance of Power

US relations with North and South Korea have been characterized by profound asymmetries of power and perception which in recent years have led to increased tensions among the three countries. An uneasy truce concerning North Korea's nuclear ambitions ended in 2002 bringing the US closer to a war footing. In South Korea, meanwhile, anger and resentment over an unequal partnership, combined with an ongoing US re-evaluation of its security role on the peninsula, have put an enormous strain on a longstanding alliance. The Future of US-Korean Relations brings together twelve prominent experts on US-Korean and US-Pacific relations to explore the many dimensions of current and future US foreign policy. Charting new developments in North and South Korea, the contributors examine US-Korean relations through such prisms as nationalism, the media, regional relations and human rights issues. In relating the downward spiral in US relations with the Korean peninsula, the contributors provide analysisthat runs counter to conventional interpretations, and offer clear and balanced policy recommendations for remedying the crises. The Future of US-Korean Relations is deeply incisive and broadly relevant as an ideal resource for students, teachers and policy professionals interested in security studies, East Asian politics and US foreign policy.