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1 [1] (June 4, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/suhkora0001 and id is 1 raw text is: $Coressional Research Service Inforrning the legislative debate sirnce 1914 Updated June 4, 2025 South Korea: Background and U.S. Relations Overview South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) is one of the United States' most important strategic and economic partners in Asia. The U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1953 at the end of the Korean War, commits the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). Approximately 28,500 U.S. troops are based in South Korea. The economic relationship is bolstered by the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), implemented in 2012. In 2024, South Korea was the United States' seventh-largest trading partner (goods and services trade combined), and the United States was South Korea's second-largest trading partner, behind the People's Republic of China (PRC, or China). Over the past decade, congressional interest in U.S.-ROK relations often has focused on U.S.-ROK cooperation on North Korea and Indo-Pacific policies, the U.S.-ROK alliance, and U.S.-ROK trade and investment flows. On June 3, 2025, South Koreans elected Minjoo (Democratic) Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung as president. The snap election occurred two months after South Korea's Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, whom the National Assembly impeached in December following his short-lived declaration of martial law. Lee entered office on June 4 with his DP in firm control of the National Assembly (Figure 1). His term is slated to end in June 2030. (South Korean presidents are limited to one five-year term.) Figure I. South Korea's National Assembly Total # of seats: 300. Next scheduled elections: April 2028.. Rebuilding Minjoo PeoplelPower Korea (Democratic) Party Party Party Others 36.0 4.0% 3% Source: National Assembly website, accessed March 20, 2025. Note: President Lee belongs to the Democratic Party. During his two-and-a-half years in office, Yoon expanded and deepened cooperation with the United States, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. He and then-President Joseph Biden forged closer cooperation on North Korea policy, including via bilateral and trilateral (with Japan) military exercises. Although Lee and the DP generally advocate maintaining a strong U.S.-ROK alliance, historically they have placed more emphasis on engaging with North Korea, advocate a more accommodating stance toward China, and are more wary of improving relations with Japan compared to Yoon and the conservative People Power Party (PPP). Since early 2025, Lee has moderated some of these positions. In his inaugural address, he pledged to strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance, solidify trilateral cooperation with Japan, pursue peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation, and https://crsreport, approach relations with neighboring countries from the perspective of national interest and practicality. Lee will be navigating challenges in the U.S.-South Korea relationship. President Donald Trump's tariff actions likely will negatively affect the ROK's export-oriented economy. The Trump Administration is emphasizing the role of U.S. forces in South Korea (USFK) in the United States' broader Indo-Pacific strategy, a potential complication to Lee's stated desire to avoid unnecessarily antagonizing Beijing. Additionally, many South Korean experts express concern that President Trump may bypass Seoul in developing his North Korea policy. Meanwhile, North Korea is increasing its military capabilities and China has become increasingly assertive in disputed waters off South Korea's coast. North Korea Polic Since the breakdown of nuclear diplomacy between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2019, North Korea has refused virtually any substantive contact with the United States or South Korea. North Korea has continued to develop and expand its nuclear weapons stockpile and regularly conducts flight tests of its growing missile arsenal. Analysts are concerned that North Korea may conduct its seventh nuclear weapons test. Kim has pledged to exponentially increase North Korea's nuclear weapons stockpile and said he will never denuclearize. Kim also has boosted relations with Russia and China, including forging a new strategic partnership with Moscow that includes a mutual defense pledge in the event either country is attacked. Analysts say possible Russian transfers of advanced military technology, in addition to China's increased economic and diplomatic support, could boost North Korea's military capabilities and embolden Kim to conduct aggressive diplomatic, military, or other actions. Presidents Biden and Yoon developed a joint approach to North Korea that heavily emphasized deterrence, in contrast to the emphasis on diplomacy pursued by Yoon's predecessor, Moon Jae-in (in office 2017-2022). Among other steps, Biden and Yoon expanded the scope and scale of combined military exercises, including with Japan. The second Trump Administration has said its goal remains North Korea's complete denuclearization. President Trump has spoken of restarting diplomacy with Kim. U.S.-South Korea Alliance The U.S.-ROK alliance experienced strain during the first Trump Administration, prompting the 115th and 116th Congresses to impose conditions (via National Defense Authorization Acts) on the President's power to withdraw U.S. troops from South Korea. To date during the second Trump Administration, the allies have continued combined and joint military exercises, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his ROK counterpart reaffirmed the importance of a strong combined U.S.-ROK defense posture. The .congress.gov

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