The most enduring alliances in history have not been built on treaties alone but along with trust — and trust begins with listening. I came to Washington as one of 300 members of the Republic of Korea’s National Assembly, to hear what Americans see, what they expect and what they believe this partnership must become.
It is a conversation that is long overdue.
America has kept the torch of freedom burning — not only for itself, but even in the farthest corners of the world. South Korea is among them. We know it. And we will never forget it.
Think of a simple image. The New York City subway — old, loud and uncomfortable — still carries the weight of infrastructure built a century ago. Seoul subway, by contrast, is newer, quieter, cheaper and more expansive. This gap is not accidental. It was built on the diligence and determination of the Korean people — and made possible by the fact that, for seventy years, the United States has borne the burden of South Korea’s security.
That allowed Korean capital, energy and ingenuity to be devoted to building a nation rather than defending one. The least we can do is acknowledge it — honestly and clearly.
The era of strategic ambiguity is over. There are only two choices: Stand with the free world — clearly, without conditions — or do not stand at all. We, the People Power Party stand, without conditions.
The current regime has declared the full restoration of Korea-China relations. It declared Seoul respects the North Korean system. It banned civil organizations from sending leaflets across the border. It indicated its intention to reduce combined U.S.-Korea military exercises. On the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Movement — the day Koreans honor their resistance against foreign domination —Lee Jaemyung publicly endorsed a posture of accommodation toward Pyongyang.
Sincerity is not a strategy. History has made clear — time and again — that appeasement, by any name, remains appeasement.
I believe the Trump Doctrine is about advancing freedom and peace around the world through the strength and wisdom of the U.S. I also believe this goal can only be achieved through solidarity among nations grounded in sovereignty, freedom, the rule of law and responsibility.
Yet today, the Republic of Korea — one of the central pillars of that solidarity — faces a comprehensive crisis.
It has become a country unable to effectively respond to espionage by agents of the Chinese Communist Party. Over the past five years, there has been a concentrated wave of technology theft targeting globally recognized Korean companies such as Samsung and SK.
During the same period, there were numerous incidents in which Chinese nationals illegally used drones to photograph military facilities in Korea — including in Busan, Jeju, near the National Intelligence Service, and at Osan Air Base. Korea’s economic and security sovereignty is being steadily eroded.
Despite warnings from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, the Lee administration has delayed action on Chinese-built artificial structures in the West Sea. The structures China is building in the West Sea could evolve into military facilities similar to those in the South China Sea.
In a moment like this, a capable government in Korea would confront these multidimensional threats, fulfill its responsibilities in the Indo-Pacific, and stand ready —together with partners such as the United States, Japan, and Australia — to help defend the First Island Chain. The Lee administration, however, shows no willingness to do so.
This assessment is echoed in a report by the U.S. Congress. A Congressional Research Service report published in March, “U.S.–South Korea Alliance: Background and Issues for Congress,” suggests that the foreign policy direction of the Lee administration is at odds with that of the Trump administration.
The First Island Chain is beyond just a line on a map, symbolizing the boundary between a rules-based order and its alternative. As that boundary comes under pressure, the question is not whether it matters — it is who will stand behind it. Our party will. Allies do not merely exchange commitments — they build trust.
Trust is not sustained by treaties alone. It is sustained by the daily conduct of democratic governance: transparent, accountable and bound by the rule of law.
However, the rule of law in South Korea is eroding. On March 5, the Lee administration approved three bills that fundamentally undermine the judiciary.
These measures would expand the number of judges in ways that risk political influence, introduce a four-tier appellate system allowing challenges even to Supreme Court rulings and enable the ruling socialist Democratic Party to bring charges against judges and prosecutors whenever they will.
History does not simply remember those who held power. History remembers those who used that power wisely, transparently, and in service of something greater than themselves. That is the Korea we are committed to becoming.
That is the Korea we seek to build.
Jang Dong-hyeok is the current Chairman of the People Power Party of the Republic of Korea, a member of the National Assembly, and a former judge.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
