Lecture of Opportunity | Van Jackson: Adapting the U.S.-South Korea Alliance 

Dr. Van Jackson, "From Strategy to Policy? Adapting the U.S.-South Korea Alliance to an Evolving Security Environment," Lecture of Opportunity, Jan. 7, 2015.
Why did the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) agree to delay to the transition of the operational control (OPCON) of ROK forces indefinitely? Why do the United States and ROK disagree about the ballistic missile defense needs for the Korean Peninsula? And why does incoming USPACOM Commander Harris believe that North Korea is the region's greatest threat? This talk will connect U.S. and South Korean perceptions of change in the regional security environment with a gradual evolution in U.S.-ROK alliance C2, basing and exercise decisions. It will argue that alliance military strategy is in dramatic need of reform to keep up with evolving threats and a dynamic policy environment.
*****
Disclaimer: The views expressed are the speaker's own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Naval War College, the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, or any other branch or agency of the U.S. Government.