The United States, Global Realignment, and Korea

Abstract The central question under scrutiny in the United States and elsewhere in the world is whether or not the changes bom from the demise of the Cold War may lead to revolutionary changes in global alignment including a Summaries 197 strategic entente among the Russians, Chinese, and Japanese; and whether or not reunified Germany might under certain circumstances join forces with them. This potential shift in global alignment would present the U.S. with a strategic dilemma and could drive Washington in an entirely new direction. A proper understanding of the United States' strategic conerns over the Korean Problem may afford insight into Washington's views on the long-term trend of strategic development in the Eurasian continent. The Seoul government for its part miscomprehends the intentions and underestimates the power of China and Russia, and grossly overestimates the consistency of America's Cold War commitment to South Korea. Equally, it rebuffs the strategic sensitivities of Russia towards its eastern rim, especially the Korean peninsula. It believes vainly in Japan's cooperation and fails to account for the latter's new policy orientation. Like the tragic Yi royal house of the past, Seoul's entrenched ruling establishment today repeats the same mistakes. At the same time the four major powers in East Asia, particularly the United States, may be weaving new webs of geostrategic alignments to serve their respective and conflicting vital national interests.