 | |
 South Korea |  United States |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| South Korean Embassy, Washington D.C. | United States Embassy, Seoul |
| Envoy | |
| Ambassador Kang Kyung-hwa | Ambassador Vacant |
Diplomatic relations betweenSouth Korea and theUnited States commenced in 1949. TheUnited States helped establish the modern state ofSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, and fought on itsUN-sponsored side in theKorean War (1950–1953). During the subsequent decades, South Korea experienced tremendouseconomic,political andmilitary growth.
South Korea has a long military alliance with the United States, aiding the U.S. in every war since theVietnam War, including theIraq War.[1] At the2009 G20 London summit, then-U.S. PresidentBarack Obama called South Korea "one of America's closest allies and greatest friends."[2] In 1987, South Korea was among the first batch of countries to be designated as amajor non-NATO ally.[3][4] In June 2023, South Korean PresidentYoon Suk Yeol said that he had upgraded the country's alliance with the United States to one that is "nuclear-based" in the face of North Korea's growing military threat.[5]
According to a 2025 Pew survey, 61% of South Koreans had a favorable view of the United States, while 39% had a negative view.[6] According to a 2018 Gallup poll, 77% of Americans had a favorable view of South Koreans, while 22% had a negative view.[7]
Leaders of South Korea and the United States from 1950
Following theUnited States expedition to Korea in 1871, the United States andJoseon established diplomatic relations under the 1882Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation. In 1883, Joseon sent the first everKorean special mission to the United States, also known in Korean asBobingsa (보빙사;報聘使).[8] However, Japanassumed direction over Korean foreign affairs in 1905 and in 1910 began a 35-year period ofcolonial rule over Korea.[9]
In 1945, at the end of World War II, Japan surrendered to theAllies. The United States proposed to the USSR that they could share responsibility of the Korean peninsula,dividing the Korean peninsula at the 38th parallel into two occupation zones, with the United States in the South and the Soviet Union in the North. This was intended to be a temporary measure.[10]
Each half was polarized politically: the USSR-backed North was led by theCommunist Party, while U.S. GeneralJohn Hodge handpicked far-rightSyngman Rhee to lead the South.[10] Initial talks in 1945–6 to achieve a unified, independent Korea were not successful.[citation needed] The U.S. petitioned the United Nations to find a resolution, and the UN concluded that elections should be held.[10] In reality, only the South heldan election, as the North refused to allow UN officials entry to supervise the election. Syngman Rhee was officially elected after ruling the South for several years already, and in turnStalin's regime appointed CommunistKim Il-Sung without an election.[11]
In 1948, two separate nations were established: the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the South, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the North. On January 1, 1949, the United States officially recognized the Republic of Korea as the sole legitimate government of Korea and established diplomatic relations on March 25 of that year.[9][12]
Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the 38th Parallel escalated into open warfare when the North Korean forces started toinvade South Korea on June 25, 1950.[13] In response, 16 member countries of theUnited Nations, including theUnited States, came to the defense ofSouth Korea. It was the first significant armed conflict of theCold War with extensive deployment of U.S. and other troops.[14]
… About 37,000 Americans lost their lives. They fought for the freedom of Koreans they did not even know, and thanks to their sacrifices, the peace and democracy of the republic were protected. … On this significant occasion, all Koreans pay tribute to the heroes fallen in defense of freedom and democracy. I firmly believe that future generations in both countries will further advance the strong Republic of Korea–U.S. alliance into one befitting the spirit of the new age.[15]
In 1953, following the end of the Korean War, the United States established abilaterial alliance pact with South Korea.[10]
Moreover, the "U.S. alliance with South Korea would consequently have three functions. First, it would serve as part of a network of alliances and military installations designed to ring theSoviet threat in the Pacific. Second, it would deter a second North Korean attack, with U.S. ground troops serving as the 'tripwire' guaranteeing U.S. involvement. Third, it would restrain the South from engaging in adventurism".[16]
The United States and South Korea are allies under the1953 Mutual Defense Treaty. Under the agreement, U.S. military personnel have maintained a continuous presence on the Korean peninsula.
In 1953, at the end of the Korean War, the number of prostitutes in South Korea was estimated as about 350,000, with about 60 percent working near U.S. military camps.[17] In the post-Korean War period, the U.S. military continued to contribute significantly to the South Korean economy, providing an estimated 1 percent of the South Korean GNP in 1991, including the sex industry.[18] Despite the world-wide growth of women's human rights advocacy since the 1990s, and the shift towards foreign workers providing sex services for U.S. troops, (particularly women trafficked from the Philippines and the former Soviet Union), prostitution via "juicy bars" remains an issue near U.S. bases in South Korea.[19][20]
In 1992,Yun Geum-i, a 26-year-old woman, was brutally killed by a U.S. serviceman, Private Kenneth L. Markle, inDongducheon.[21][22] In August 1993, the U.S. government compensated the victim's family with a payment of about US$72,000.[23] Markle was sentenced by a South Korean court to life imprisonment, later reduced to 15 years. Professor Katharine Moon notes that the murder was not unique, and did not spark a national debate about the presence of U.S. forces. However, it did become a "call to action" for some Koreans, and led to the establishment of the "National Campaign for the Eradication of Crimes by U.S. troops."
In July 2000, theEighth U.S. Army apologized for an incident whereformaldehyde, a toxic fluid, was released into theHan River in February of that year.[24] In a report released in 2017 detailing spill incidents from 1995 to 2015 at theUS garrison in Yongsan, South Korean environmentalist groups expressed concern about the lack of transparency and the possibility of continued water contamination, as well as who would take responsibility for cleanup of the site.[25]
On 13 June 2002, two 14-year-old South Korean schoolgirls were crushed to death by a 50-tonUnited States Army vehicle inYangju.Anti-Americanism was pervasive after the driver and the navigator of the vehicle were both acquitted in U.S.courts-martial on charges ofnegligent homicide. There was resentment from protesters towards theU.S.–South Korea Status of Forces Agreement, which restricted South Korea from having jurisdiction over alleged crimes that occurred when American soldiers were on official duty. South Korean presidential candidateLee Hoi-chang called on United States PresidentGeorge W. Bush to "apologize to soothe the pain of the Korean people and to prevent any escalation in anti-American sentiment". Americanambassador to South KoreaThomas C. Hubbard apologized on behalf of Bush.[26]
The Government of South Korea banned imports of U.S. beef in 2003 in response to a case ofmad cow disease inWashington state. In 2008, protests were held against U.S. beef that were reminiscent of the student "pro-democracy" movements of the 1980s. Nevertheless, by 2010, South Korea had become the world's third largest U.S. beef importer. With its strong import growth, South Korea surpassedJapan for the first time to become the largest market for U.S. beef inAsia; in 2016, U.S. beef imports in Korea reached a value of $1 billion.[27][28]
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At around 7:40 a.m. on March 5, 2015,United States Ambassador to South KoreaMark Lippert was attacked by a knife-wielding man at a restaurant attached toSejong Center in downtown Seoul, where he was scheduled to give a speech at a meeting of the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation.[29] The assailant, Kim Ki-jong, is a member of Uri Madang, aprogressive cultural organization opposed to theKorean War.[30] He inflicted wounds on Lippert's left arm as well as a four-inch cut on the right side of the ambassador's face, requiring 80 stitches.[29] Lippert underwent surgery atYonsei University'sSeverance Hospital in Seoul. While his injuries were not life-threatening, doctors stated that it would take several months for Lippert to regain use of his fingers.[29] A police official said that the knife used in the attack was 10 inches (25 cm) long[29] and Lippert later reported that the blade penetrated to within 2 cm of his carotid artery.[31] ABC News summarized the immediate aftermath of the attack as follows: "Ambassador Lippert, an Iraq war veteran, defended himself from the attack. Lippert was rushed to a hospital where he was treated for deep cuts to his face, his arm, and his hand. ... [He] kept his cool throughout the incident."[32]
During the attack and while being subdued by security, Kim screamed that the rival Koreas should be unified and told reporters that he had attacked Lippert to protest theannual United States–South Korean joint military exercises.[29] Kim has a record of militantKorean nationalist activism; he attacked the Japanese ambassador to South Korea in 2010 and was sentenced to a three-year suspended prison term.[33][34][35][36] On September 11, 2015, Kim was sentenced to twelve years in prison for the attack.[37]
The rollout of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) has been met with domestic opposition in South Korea. The opposition has been on the grounds that the North Korean threat has gone, and on environmental grounds.[38][39][40][41] THAAD was deployed under the administration of ROK PresidentPark Geun-hye. Her opponents accused her of "bow[ing] too readily to America's requests."[41] According toSouth China Morning Post, when Prime MinisterHwang Kyo-ahn visited Seongju to appease the local backlash against THAAD, demonstrators blocked Hwang's buses and pelted him with eggs and water bottles. The progressive People's Party also opposes the deployment.[41]
On July 30, 2025, PresidentDonald Trump announced a trade deal with South Korea that called for 15% tariffs on goods imported from there.[42] Following the recentGeorgia Hyundai immigration raid where 300 Korean workers were detained, PresidentLee Jae Myung warned that concerns over the treatment of Korean technicians in the United States were making businesses hesitant to invest directly, further complicating the trade negotiations. “We will not make a decision that goes against our national interests,” he said, adding, “We will not engage in negotiations that are not rational or just.”[43]
South Korea and the United States agreed to a military alliance in 1953.[44] They called it "the relationship forged in blood".[45] In addition, roughly 29,000United States Forces Korea troops are stationed in South Korea. In 2009, South Korea and the United States pledged to develop the alliance's vision for future defense cooperation.[46] Currently, South Korean forces would fall under United States control should the war resume. As of September 2023, the transfer of this war time control to South Korea is on an indefinite “conditions-based” timeline.[47]
At the request of theUnited States, PresidentPark Chung Heesent troops to Vietnam to assist American troops during theVietnam War, maintaining the second largest contingent of foreign troops after theUnited States. In exchange, the United States increased military and economic assistance to South Korea.[citation needed] In 2004, PresidentRoh Moo-hyun authorized dispatching asmall contingent of troops toIraq at the request of U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush.[1]
Since 2009, air forces of South Korea and the U.S.A. have conducted annual joint exercises under the name "Max Thunder". In 2018, the drills began on May 11 and continued until May 17.[48]
At a Cabinet meeting in Seoul on 10 July 2018, the government decided not to hold that year's Ulchi drill, scheduled for June 2018. The Government said the decision was made in line with recent political and security improvements on the peninsula and the suspension of South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises.[49]
Former South Korean PresidentMoon Jae-in, elected in May 2017, has said he supports the continuation of sanctions against North Korea if it is aimed at bringing North Korea out of its state of isolation and to the negotiating table. He also argued, at the same time, that he was against a "sanctions-only" approach toward North Korea.[50] His approach to North Korea is similar to Kim Dae-jung'sSunshine Policy, which only continued up to the Roh Mu-hyun's administration.[citation needed]
In 2018, there were several rounds of talks regarding sharing the cost of U.S. forces in South Korea. These reflect Washington's desire for South Korea to share a "greater burden" of the costs of the military deployment.[51]
On 12 June 2018, during the2018 Trump–Kim summit, U.S. presidentDonald Trump andKim Jong Un signed aJoint Statement which reaffirmed thePanmunjom Declaration.[52]
The U.S. Ambassador to South Korea,Harry B. Harris Jr., arrived in Seoul on July 7, 2018. The post had been vacant since PresidentDonald Trump took office in January 2017. Harris, a former head of the U.S. military's Pacific Command, has expressed his resolve to work as an ambassador to strengthen the alliance between the United States and South Korea.[53]
On February 10, 2019, South Korea and the United States confirmed that a year long deal for keeping American troops, numbering 28,500, in South Korea had been made. This was in exchange for South Korea paying 925 million dollars to the United States.[54]
In terms of American leadership, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush both emphasized the Middle East over North Korea. Clinton had deep emotional ties with Israel but neglected North Korea issues and never built strong personal relations with South Korean leaders. Bush, whose religious fundamentalism led him to divide the world into good and evil, had a personalized hatred for North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, but he also had frosty relations with South Korean leaders.[55]
In his 2021 New Year's press conference on January 18, President Moon Jae-in stated that the two Koreas might be able to discuss the U.S.-South Korea military drills through a joint inter-Korean military committee. However, U.S. officials expressed that it is not a topic to be decided by Pyongyang, and that scaling down the exercises was not desirable.[56]
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In May 2022, President Joe Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed in talks to begin discussions on restarting and potentially expanding joint military training on and around the Korean Peninsula. The move was a signal thatBiden was changing course from former President Donald Trump's positions in Asia.[57]
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In April 2023 a visit by Yoon to Washington produced a nuclear deterrence plan aimed at North Korea.Joe Biden said the deal allowed nuclear submarines to dock in South Korea. This capability had not been seen since 1991. Biden said: "A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable, and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action." The so-called Washington Declaration cameafter nearly 50 years had passed since Korea signed theNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and gave up its nuclear ambitions.[58][59][60]
In August 2024 The US and South Korea South Korea initiated military exercises, to boost their joint readiness to fend off North Korea's weapons and cyber threats.[61]
On 9 October 2024, South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun called for enhanced joint military drills with the U.S. to ensure a strong defence against North Korean threats. In talks with U.S. Admiral Samuel Paparo, they agreed to hold a second "Freedom Edge" exercise and expressed concerns about the security risks posed by North Korea-Russia military collaboration.[62]
On November 6, 2024, South Korea's presidential office said on Wednesday that it will build a "perfect" security partnership with a new U.S. administration. Seoul is a strong U.S. ally in the region, with around 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea.[63]
In February 2025, the U.S. and South Korean militaries conducted their first joint air drill ofPresident Donald Trump's second term, featuring at least one U.S.B-1B bomber along with South KoreanF-35 andF-15 jets andU.S. F-16s.Germany, US, South Korean, andJapanese diplomats reaffirmed military cooperation and sanctions to counterNorth Korea’s nuclear ambitions. North Korea condemned the USA, South Korea, and Japan for pursuing denuclearization, vowing to expand its nuclear arsenal underKim Jong Un's leadership.[64]
On March 2, 2025, the U.S. aircraft carrierUSS Carl Vinson arrived inBusan, marking the first such visit since President Donald Trump's second term began in January. The visit, part of extended deterrence efforts, was accompanied by theUSS Princeton andUSS Sterett. Rear Admiral Michael S. Wosje emphasized joint training to strengthen ties. North Korea, which recently tested strategic cruise missiles, has condemned U.S. military deployments.[65]
Between 1958 and 1991, the United States based a variety of nuclear weapons in South Korea. The number reached a peak of 950 warheads in 1967. Since 1991, whenPresident George H. W. Bush announced the withdrawal of all tactical nuclear weapons based abroad, the Korean peninsula has seen ongoing efforts by the U.S. to negotiate an end to North Korea's own nuclear and missile development. These efforts have been characterized by "stalemates, crises and tentative progress." Despite the ongoing tensions, the U.S. has not redeployed nuclear weapons, although one recent press report suggests a majority of South Koreans are in favor of developing their own nuclear weapons. South Korea announced the deployment of theTerminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile defense system at the end of 2017.[66]
According toPew Research Center in 2025, 61% of South Koreans have a favorable view towards the United States, while 39% have an unfavorable opinion.[6] Also, according to aGallup Korea poll in 2011, South Korea views the U.S. as the most favorable country in the world.[67] On the political side, the United States supported South Korea after 1945 as a "staunch bastion against communism", even when the ROK itself was ruled by a US-backed dictatorship.[68] According to Pew Research Center in 2025, 67% of South Koreans have little or no confidence on U.S. President Donald Trump, while 33% have some or a lot of confidence. The poll also found that 86% of South Koreans consider the U.S. to be the world's top economic power.[6] In 2025, a poll by theKorea Institute for National Unification showed that 65.7% of South Koreans agreed that the United States "does not consider South Korea’s interests".[69]
As relations with Korea waxed hot and cold under President Donald Trump, American public opinion regarding North Korea likewise fluctuated sharply, and no clear picture emerges.[70]
There remains some major trade disputes between South Korea and the U.S. in areas such astelecommunications,automotive industry,intellectual property rights issues,pharmaceutical industry, and theagricultural industry.[71]
South Korea's export-driven economy and competition with domestic U.S. producers in certain fields of products have led to some trade friction with the United States. For example, imports of certain steel and non-steel products have been subject to U.S. anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations. A total of 29 U.S. imports from South Korea have been assessed.[72]
South Korea Exports to United States was US$110.17 Billion during 2022, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. In 2022, South Korea mainly exported Vehicles other than railway and tramway to the United States.[73]
| 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US exports to South Korea | 6.0 | 14.4 | 25.4 | 27.8 | 27.6 | 38.8 | 43.5 | 51.0 | 65.1 |
| US imports from South Korea | 10.0 | 18.5 | 24.2 | 40.3 | 43.8 | 48.9 | 71.8 | 76.0 | 116.1 |
| Trade balance | −4.0 | −4.1 | 1.2 | −12.5 | −16.2 | −10.1 | −28.3 | −25.0 | −51.0 |
The U.S. (US$8.73 billion) is one of the top destinations for Korean FDI.[75]
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The two countries are deepening space cooperation by signing a bilateral space agreement in 2016.[76] In April 2023, President Yoon visited theGoddard Space Flight Center with U.S. Vice PresidentKamala Harris, and agreed to work to strengthen the space alliance between South Korea and the United States.[77] In July 2024,Pamela Melroy, Deputy Administrator of theNASA, visited South Korea to discuss space cooperation.[76]
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The South Korean government maintains Korean cultural education centers inWheeling, Illinois (in the northwest suburbs ofChicago),Houston,New York City,Los Angeles,San Francisco, andWashington, D.C.[78]
South Korea has a total of threeKorean Cultural Centers in the United States.
K-pop and Korean cultural festivals are held in the U.S. regularly across different regions.KCON, the world's largest Hallyu (Korean Wave) festival (organized byCJ ENM), surpassed 1.5 million cumulative on-site visitors by the 18th edition. The achievement came 11 years after its first event inIrvine, California in 2012 and just 4 years after it reached the milestone of 1 million attendees in 2019.[79]
As of 2023, The U.S. is one of the top three countries for K-pop albums.[80]
Korean language is one of the only three in the U.S. university foreign language enrollment rate to rise from 2016 to 2021. The number of Korean language learners increased from 13,900 in 2016 to 19,300 in 2021.[81]
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)In October 1992, a camptown sex worker named Yun Geum-I was brutally murdered by one of her clients during a dispute.
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