[Column] US and Korea: From an alliance of values to an alliance of extortion

The United States and South Korea have long shared an alliance based on shared values, but recent developments suggest a shift towards a more transactional approach. This change is exemplified by President Donald Trump's decision to support a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska, despite its estimated costs and risks. According to Andrew Yeo, a senior scholar at the Brookings Institution, the US has no intention of pursuing the Alaska gas pipeline project, and Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are aware of this reality.

The project, valued at $50 billion, would involve building a pipeline to transport gas from northern Alaska to a port near Anchorage. The Korean government announced its intent to proceed with the project in September, despite the need for further reviews of its commercial feasibility. Trump's unilateral promise to move forward with the project, despite potential losses, appears to prioritize the US's economic interests over the long-term viability of the venture.

This move reflects a departure from the previously held values-based alliance, toward a more exploitative or "transactional" relationship, where the US's contributions are contingent upon Korea's financial support.