Washington can’t decide how Seoul views China

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 21, 2021
Contact: press@defensepriorities.org

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, President Biden met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House. Defense Priorities Policy Director Benjamin H. Friedman issued the following statement in response:

“A joint commitment to diplomacy with North Korea is a welcome step. But the denuclearization of North Korea remains an unrealistic goal that threatens progress on more achievable aims. With deterrence guaranteed, the U.S. can afford to normalize its relationship with Pyongyang and pursue de-escalatory measures.

“The fact the U.S. views China as a competitor doesn’t mean it can compel allies and partners to adopt a more confrontational policy toward Beijing. To the extent China poses a security threat to South Korea and Japan, it is largely limited to decades-long disputes over uninhabited islands that are best managed through dialogue. President Moon’s reluctance to take a hawkish tone toward Beijing shows that South Korea will opt for pragmatic engagement rather than treating China as an adversarial power.

“To serve U.S. interests, rather than seeking to confront China across the board, Washington should seek a peaceful, stable balance of power in East Asia that elevates diplomacy and minimizes the prospect of conflict. The U.S. should serve as a balancer of last resort, rather than seek dominance in service of a new Cold War.”

Author

Benjamin
Friedman

Policy Director