In the former US Army compound at Yongsan in central Seoul, there is a park named after the South Korean flag, Taegukgi. In this park, adorned by Mugunghwa, the national flower of South Korea, 50 Taegukgi are fluttering around the clock.

According to the information bulletin, the park was created in 1998 to “revive the national spirit and arouse patriotism.” It was a commendable undertaking at a time when core values are often challenged.

What raises eyebrows, however, is the introductory statement of the same bulletin. “This was a territory beyond our sovereignty because it was occupied by the Japanese forces during Japan’s occupation of Korea and American troops after Korea’s liberation.”

This sentence could be construed as equating Japan’s colonial occupation of Korea with the stationing of American troops in South Korea. This is a flagrant error in the perception of history.

The stationing of US troops in South Korea is based on the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea which was concluded in 1953. The treaty is largely the brainchild of South Korean President Syngman Rhee, a US-educated intellectual who had an unusual foresight for international affairs.

This treaty was signed at Rhee’s insistence who persuaded the reluctant Americans, saying “All our life and hope depend on this treaty.” When the treaty was initialed in Seoul on Aug. 8, 1953, President Rhee hailed the treaty, saying that it will ensure “our security and prosperity for generations to come by protecting us against external aggression.”

The signing of the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty was a historic watershed, which would define the future destinies of the two Koreas. As President Rhee foresaw, the treaty paved the way for South Korea’s unparalleled economic prosperity and liberal democracy. Over the years, the ROK-US alliance has evolved from a military alliance to an alliance of shared values.

A war-torn, impoverished nation, South Korea has developed to become the world’s 11th-largest economy. It has been transformed from a recipient of foreign aid to a donor of such aid. During the last half century, the world economy grew sevenfold whereas the South Korean economy increased 400 times. It is also one of the few democracies in Asia. This would not have been possible without the Korean-American alliance.

At a time when the Biden administration sets out to restore America’s alliances, we should muster wisdom to further develop the ROK-US alliance. And this should start with a clear understanding of the contribution it has made to what South Korea is today.


Sohn Woo-hyun
Sohn Woo-hyun is president of the Korea-France Association and a visiting professor at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. He was a journalist-turned-diplomat who served as minister for cultural affairs at the Korean Embassy in Paris. He was awarded the title of Knight of the French Order of the Arts and Letters (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts and des Lettres) in 2004. In Seoul, he was the director general of the Government Publishing Office and press secretary to President Kim Young-sam. -- Ed.