Two Presidents, One Agenda: A Blueprint for South Korea and the United States to Address the Challenges of the 2020s and Beyond

An agenda for the U.S.-South Korea alliance in the 2020s and beyond.

Edited by Dr. Sue Mi Terry

President Biden and South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, have a historic opportunity to forge a closer U.S.-R.O.K. alliance. Two Presidents, One Agenda: A Blueprint for South Korea and the United States to Address the Challenges of the 2020s and Beyond is a series of articles that present the two presidents with specific policy recommendations addressing the most significant security and economic challenges and opportunities the two allies face in the years ahead. The articles are divided into two major categories: the shifting geopolitics of Northeast Asia, and economic and trade issues. There are 12 topics total under these two major areas. 

For each of the bigger geostrategic and economic issues, prominent experts – one from the United States, the other from the ROK—present recommendations on how each of their countries can deal with these challenges. For more narrow issues, a single expert, either American or Korean, offers recommendations. All of the writers are leading experts in their field with significant scholarly credentials. In addition, many have extensive government experience as well. 

Given all the shifts transforming the international environment, the United States and South Korea cannot afford a “business as usual” approach to their relations. This essay collection will chart a way forward for both administrations.

For Korean language (국문) version of Two Presidents One Agenda(두 대통령, 하나의 길), click here.

Foreword

Richard L. Armitage, Former Deputy Secretary of State

Introduction

Sue Mi Terry, Director of the Asia Program and the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

PART I Geostrategic and Security Issues

1. Dual Imperatives: How Seoul and Washington Can Update Their Alliance to Address the China Challenge

Abraham M. Denmark, Vice President of Programs and Director of Studies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

2. Korea in US–China Relations: Bridging the Gap as the Priority

Jae Ho Chung, Professor of International Relations, Seoul National University

3. The Land of Lousy Options: Dealing with North Korea

Victor Cha, Senior Vice President and Korea Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Vice Dean and Professor, Georgetown University

4. How to Deal with North Korea’s Nuclear Program: A South Korean Perspective

Won Gon Park, Professor, Ewha Womans University

5. The US–Japan–ROK Trilateral: Rebuilding Confidence, Deepening Cooperation

Sheila A. Smith, John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia-Pacific Studies, Council on Foreign Relations

6. Rebuilding the US–South Korea–Japan Trilateral Relations in the Indo-Pacific Region

Sook Jong Lee, Professor, Sungkyunkwan University

7. Implications of the Ukraine War for South Korean Foreign Policy and Northeast Asian Security

Andrew Yeo, Senior Fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Brookings Institution

8. The Ukraine Crisis: Implications for Asia and South Korea

Young-kwan Yoon, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University

9. A Comprehensive US–South Korea Alliance in an Era of Geostrategic Uncertainty

Scott A. Snyder, Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on US–Korea Policy, Council on Foreign Relations

10. Defending the Free and Open Indo-Pacific: The ROK–US Alliance Under Biden and Yoon

Chaesung Chun, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, Seoul National University

PART II Trade, Technology, and “New Frontier” Issues

11. US–Korea Trade: Shifting from a Bilateral to a Regional/Multilateral Focus

Wendy Cutler, Vice President, Asia Society Policy Institute

12. Beyond the WTO: How to Strengthen International and Regional Trade Architecture

Taeho Bark, President, Global Commerce Institute of Lee & Ko; Former Minister of Trade, Republic of Korea

13. Promoting US–Korea Technology Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead Under New Leadership

Matthew P. Goodman, Senior Vice President for Economics, Center for Strategic and International Studies

14. Technology and Supply Chain Resilience: Opportunities for US–Korea Cooperation

Hyung-Gon Jeong, Former Vice President and current Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for International Economics Policy

15. Enhancing Economic Security in the Indo-Pacific: The Next Chapter of the US–ROK Economic Partnership

Miyeon Oh, Director and Senior Fellow, Asia Security Initiative, Atlantic Council; Director, Korea Studies, School of Advanced and International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

16. ROK–US Nuclear Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities

Sang Hyun Lee, President, Sejong Institute; President, Korea Nuclear Policy Society

17. Charting a Course for the Future of US–ROK Energy Cooperation: Elevating Attention to Climate Action while Maintaining a Focus on Energy Security

Clara Gillispie, Senior Advisor, National Bureau of Asian Research

18. Raising US–South Korean Cybersecurity Cooperation to the Next Level

Adam Segal, Director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program, Council on Foreign Relations

19.  Public Health in US-South Korean Relations: US-South Korean Cooperation for Health Security

Soonman Kwon, Professor, Seoul National University