Korea evolves from a beneficiary country to a global pivotal country

[David Fields] “I think it’s very important to understand that this alliance did not start out that way. That was his price for abiding by the armistice. And so no one was happy. No Americans were happy about this alliance at first. It’s only when Korea started to democratize in the late 1980s and 1990s this alliance for the first time became something that Americans could actually be proud of. And I think as Korea has become a more vibrant democracy, this alliance has really become more of a partnership and more of an alliance that’s focused on shared values and a shared view of the world rather than out of just the security necessities of the ROK. ROK is no longer a liability to the United States, it’s now an asset.”