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For South Korea, contributing to this posture transformation through expanded
logistical infrastructure, MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) capabilities, and

advanced command-and-control systems will not only enhance alliance resilience
but also demonstrate strategic reciprocity. As the ROK military continues to
develop blue-water naval capacity and indigenous missile defense, there is
growing potential for integrated operations in a regional or even global context.

Nevertheless, the principle of strategic flexibility remains politically sensitive.
South Korea has legitimate concerns about being drawn into regional conflicts
without clear alignment with its national interests. The Trump administration’s

approach—often unilateral and abrupt—magnified these fears. Going forward, a
stable framework for strategic flexibility must be institutionalized. This includes
formalized protocols for allied decision-making, scenario-based joint planning,

and redlines for regional contingencies. Such mechanisms can ensure that
operational flexibility does not come at the expense of alliance trust or South
Korean sovereignty.

Despite the Trump administration’s skepticism of multilateralism, the long-term
security of the Indo-Pacific depends increasingly on interoperable partnerships.
Here too, USFK has an important role to play. As the only permanent

forward-deployed U.S. force on the Asian mainland, it can serve as a node for
multilateral cooperation involving Japan, Australia, the Philippines, and NATO
partners with growing interests in Indo-Pacific security. Hosting multilateral

exercises, logistics coordination, and shared intelligence platforms within Korea
can elevate the country’s strategic relevance far beyond the Peninsula.
The challenge for South Korea is not merely to preserve USFK as it is, but to

reshape it in a way that reflects the lessons of Trump-era volatility. Security
guarantees once taken for granted must now be earned and demonstrated
through shared burden, shared vision, and shared capability. The alliance must

evolve from a legacy of deterrence to a forward-looking engine of regional
stability and strategic alignment.
Reimagining the role of USFK is ultimately about ensuring that it is fit for
purpose in the 21st century. That purpose is no longer limited to defending a

demilitarized zone—it is about projecting stability in a contested Indo-Pacific,
enabling multilateral defense cooperation, and anchoring one of the most

important strategic partnerships in the world. Doing so requires both nations to
move beyond nostalgia and inertia toward a renewed alliance—one that is resilient,
reciprocal, and ready.

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