[Correspondent Column] 70 Years of the Korea-US Alliance, No Reason to Be Overshadowed by the Quad

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] One of the most surprising things after coming to the United States was the symbolic significance of the Korean War in America. Throughout American cities, you can find Korean War memorials alongside World War II memorials.

Not only in major cities like the capital Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and San Francisco, but also in small and medium-sized cities across various states, there are Korean War memorials. In New Jersey, where the reporter resides, Korean War monuments can be seen in places like Fort Lee, Jersey City, and Atlantic City. While the war is gradually being forgotten in Korea, the sense of remembrance feels even stronger in American society.

When encountering a Korean War memorial, one cannot just pass by. I often get out of the car briefly to pay silent tribute to those who sacrificed themselves for us 70 years ago and look closely at the names of the fallen soldiers.

World War II, which made the United States the global leading nation, was a war with a just cause for Americans. Many immigrants from Europe fought for their fathers’ and mothers’ homelands. The Korean War is different. About 36,000 young Americans sacrificed their lives for a relatively unfamiliar country called Korea.

Last year marked the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, and the United States faced its worst situation since its founding. The COVID-19 pandemic continued for a year, resulting in approximately 570,000 deaths. Although the number decreased with increased vaccine distribution, hundreds still die daily.

Korean diplomatic missions in the United States made great efforts last year to share the pain of the alliance. Masks and diagnostic kits were shipped from Korea to the U.S. and delivered to Korean War veterans and volunteers scattered across the country. Looking back on last year, a single Korean-made mask was like a vaccine of hope to them.

The United States succeeded in developing COVID-19 vaccines based on overwhelming economic power and technological prowess. It developed the most vaccines and is widely recognized for their high efficacy. Every country in the world wants American-made vaccines. Korea is naturally no exception.

The Biden administration, which proclaimed "America is back," did not easily concede on vaccines. This is understandable. With 570,000 deaths, we must also empathize with their pain.

As a result, various noises have been heard. Some say there is no reason to provide vaccines to Korea, which has not joined the “Quad” that the U.S. hopes for.

Korea is an American ally with a 70-year relationship. It is a relationship forged in shared bloodshed. This is an unchangeable history. Among the countries supported by the U.S., Korea is the only one that has grown like this. The next 70 or 100 years will be an important relationship. The Quad is a very recent development. Even India, a Quad member, has had conflicts with the U.S. in the past due to reasons such as nuclear possession and support for North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. During the Cold War, the U.S. was actually closer to Pakistan, India’s adversary.

President Moon Jae-in will visit the United States next month for his first face-to-face summit with President Biden. President Moon should confidently request vaccine cooperation as a 70-year blood ally. He is not asking for free vaccines. The situation is developing so that Korea can request a “vaccine swap,” exchanging the order of vaccines we have agreed to purchase with the U.S. There is no need to be intimidated; he should assertively make demands and secure concessions from the alliance.

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