Kim Jun-hyung, President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, "US-Korea Relations Require Strategic Push and Pull Amid Gaslighting"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Kim Jun-hyung, President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, stated on the 30th regarding the diplomatic strategy toward the United States, “Korea has lost the ability to make rational judgments due to maintaining an imbalanced Korea-US relationship for a long time, so it must also engage in strategic give-and-take with the US.”

At an 'online press conference' held to mark the publication of his book The Paradox of the Eternal Alliance, which examines the 150-year history of Korea-US relations and proposes a new alliance relationship, President Kim said, “The Korea-US alliance is important, but there are aspects that need to be overcome.”

He described the alliance with the US as “an invaluable asset,” but also pointed out that “this relationship has been 'mythologized' to the extent that it prevents common-sense, practical, and rational judgment.”

Referring to former US President Donald Trump’s pressure on Korea to significantly increase the defense cost-sharing for US troops stationed in Korea, he said, “An alliance can become a business,” and since the national interests of Korea and the US differ, “we need to return to common sense and engage in strategic give-and-take with the US.”

In his book, he also metaphorically diagnosed Korea’s inertia in failing to take appropriate responses as a sovereign nation in the face of the US’s prioritization of its own national interests as a “gaslighting” state caused by a one-sided Korea-US relationship.

Gaslighting refers to the act of subtly manipulating another’s psychology or situation to lose their judgment and strengthen control or dominance over them. This is interpreted as an analogy to Korea’s occasional inability to make rational judgments in Korea-US relations due to awareness of US influence.

Regarding this, President Kim said, “I used that term because when I visited the US during progressive governments, there were many cases where the US was overwhelming.”

When asked about Korea’s role amid US-China conflicts, he replied, “While the Korea-US alliance should be the foundation, relations with China should not be damaged,” and emphasized the need to unite with countries caught in similar conflicts such as Germany, France, Australia, and ASEAN.

On the question of participating in the US-led consultative body 'Quad,' which is regarded as a plan to check China, he said, “I don’t think participation is appropriate when the direction is uncertain,” and added, “Especially if it is a military alliance aimed at China, it is even less so.”

Regarding the Biden administration’s North Korea policy, he advised, “Nothing is gained without giving anything,” and emphasized that through North Korea-US negotiations, “both sides need to exchange their conditions.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.