Senior Korean Government Official Admits that Changes to US-ROK Alliance Could Be Coming
It looks like the Lee administration can see the writing on the wall that the US-ROK alliance is going to shift from just being a DPRK focused organization to one that responds to regional contingencies:
A senior South Korean official made a rare mention Thursday of a possible change in the role of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), amid speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration may seek to shift the focus of its mission to deterring China rather than countering North Korean threats.
The official made the remarks in a meeting with South Korean correspondents in Washington as the Trump administration is seeking to “modernize” the South Korea-U.S. alliance to make it “strategically sustainable” in the midst of an intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry.
“I think there can be a change in the role and character of the USFK due to various factors,” he said.
The official pointed to the evolving international security environment, technological shifts and a “growing strategic role” of China, as he enumerated the factors that could drive a possible shift in the role of the 28,500-strong USFK.
However, he cautioned against misconstruing his remarks, saying his talk of a possible change in the USFK role does not mean he concurs on the U.S. view in support of the change.
You can read more at the link.
Is Yonhap trying to be CNN?
So Trump demands $100 billion from Korea for USFK—forces that, by his own words, won’t even defend Korea.
At that point, he’s pretty much demanding Korea treat USFK like mercenaries.
Trump needs to make up his mind: are U.S. troops in Korea part of a pan-Pacific defense strategy, or just a rental army for Korea?
In the meantime, USFK is free to pack up and leave anytime.
And as for @setnaffa… he may end up wishing he’d voted for Kamala after all.
Is Yonhap trying to be CNN?
@setnaffa might want to think twice—regret tends to come after realizing Kamala was the better option all along.
“Trump needs to make up his mind: are U.S. troops in Korea part of a pan-Pacific defense strategy, or just a rental army for Korea?”
1. He has made up his mind.
2. U.S. troops are… both!
First, understand Trump is quite focused and sure about most things. Just because the media has told you otherwise doesn’t mean you should buy into it.
As for U.S. troops, under Trump, they exist fully to promote American interests. As a businessman, he is fully capable of evaluating cost-benefit ratios.
When the benefit runs out, extra duty requires payment.
I hope tbe Korea Thing can get help for his dipsomania. The incoherent ravings are beginning to sound as bad as my old dishwasher before I replaced it.
https://plumbers911.com/should-you-repair-or-replace-a-broken-dishwasher-a-homeowners-guide/#:~:text=Roughly%2030%20percent%20of%20dishwashers,years%20old%2C%20consider%20replacing%20it
First, understand Trump is quite focused and sure about most things
Really?
He’s way over his head and don’t know what he’s doing.
No doubt when China invades Taiwan, he’ll fumble and let China keep Taiwan.
When that happens no doubt that the free countries of Asia will have second thoughts about the U.S.
The incoherent ravings
Says @setnaffa who is known for incoherent ravings.
No doubt he doesn’t like to be reminded that he made a bad choice by voting for Trump instead of voting for Kamala.
“He’s way over his head and don’t know what he’s doing.”
One definition of insanity is looking at the evidence yet coming to an unrelated conclusion.
Despite everyone squeeking the same nonsense you are squeeking, Trump has done very well on tariff income, lowering trade deficit, GDP growth, inflation control, blue collar wages, border security, institutional reform, and lots of other stuff. It appears he does know what he is doing… and he is doing it.
Anti-American media misinformation is designed to target midwits such as yourself, so it is understandable that you have no comprehension of this.
“No doubt when China invades Taiwan, he’ll fumble and let China keep Taiwan.”
Hopefully.
We are not far from all of Taiwan’s advanced production capacity being duplicated in America. Once that happens, they become competitor, and it is time to let them go, but with their advanced production capacity in ruins.
The Chinese are aware of this, so they very much want a soft takeover, preferably politically and, at worst, a blockade… giving America no excuse to destroy what they need from Taiwan and start a war that does not exist.
But keep believing what you need to keep from killing yourself every time you see a mirror.
I think I figured out why the Korea Things like Kamala so much. They babble on and say nothing…just like her.
why the Korea Things like Kamala so much
Who said anything about liking Kamala?
It is obvious that had you voted for Kamala, you Americans would be enjoying peace and prosperity instead of looking onto an incoming economic disaster that your Dear Trump is creating.
“instead of looking onto an incoming economic disaster that your Dear Trump is creating.”
He’ll be marched out of the White House in handcuffs.
He will ban abortion nationwide.
He will put homosexuals and journalists into camps.
He will cancel future elections.
He will start WW3.
Zzz.
After a while, stupid people making stupid predictions they pull out of their CNN-smelling àss mean nothing.
If you could lay out a realistic step-by-step analysis why you believe any of these things, you might get some traction.
But just yelling what you want to believe becasue the teevee told you to believe it makes you look small and meaningless.
From the Korea Times
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20250807/trumps-broad-tariffs-go-into-effect-just-as-economic-pain-is-surfacing
No wonder Trump fired the guy in charge of labor statistics.
Congratulations @setnaffan and the Setnaffarians.
You may have helped the greatest economic downturn the United States has ever experienced by voting for Trump instead of Kamala.
What the data has shown is a U.S. economy that changed in April with Trump’s initial rollout of tariffs, an event that led to market drama, a negotiating period and Trump’s ultimate decision to start his universal tariffs on Thursday.
After April, economic reports show that hiring began to stall, inflationary pressures crept upward and home values in key markets started to decline, said John Silvia, CEO of Dynamic Economic Strategy.
“A less productive economy requires fewer workers,” Silvia said in an analysis note. “But there is more, the higher tariff prices lower workers’ real wages. The economy has become less productive, and firms cannot pay the same real wages as before. Actions have consequences.”
Even then, the ultimate transformations of the tariffs are unknown and could play out over months, if not years
“Oh no! Trump is going to kill the economy and send America to third world,” said every dummy over and over since 2015.
The reality is the American economy is bad for some and great for others, and this has nothing to do with Trump.
But it isn’t based on race, or education, or any of the other things society misdirects you towards.
It is based on usefulness.
Plumbers and doctors are doing well. History and gender studies majors are selling coffee they can barely afford.
This is going to get worse as AI and then robotics gets even better.
CH, we agre on that. And advanced AI and Robotics might give the Korean Thing(s) a chance to start sounding like a normal human and responding intelligently.