(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Oct. 27)

Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow are growing closer in their alliance, causing concern for South Korea and the United States. On October 27, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Dandong, China, signaling the strength of their bond. Most of North Korea's trade with the outside world passes through Dandong, so any expansion of cross-border trade would boost North Korea's economy, making denuclearization efforts less effective.

Sanctions have been the primary tool used to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, but China, which accounts for 90 percent of North Korea's foreign trade, may be willing to relax sanctions. This would make it even harder to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. North Korea has already been flouting sanctions while acquiring advanced military technology from Russia.

Eleven UN member states, including South Korea, the United States, and Japan, have set up the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team to enforce sanctions against North Korea, but this mechanism needs to be strengthened, and diplomatic pressure on China and Russia must be increased. A US-China summit is scheduled for November 18-19, but it is unlikely that U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss talks with North Korea.

If talks do happen, South Korea must ensure that it is not sidelined in discussions about the North's nuclear program and other security issues. Recently, a bridge linking North Korea and Russia across the Tumen River opened, allowing North Korea to expand its military and economic ties with both neighbors. This deepening relationship is a cause for worry, as North Korea is gaining military benefits from Russia while strengthening its economic ties with China.

The South Korea-U.S. alliance is under strain due to disagreements over wartime operational control, the role of U.S. Forces Korea, joint military exercises, and intelligence-sharing on North Korea. U.S. Ambassador Michelle Steel describes bilateral relations as "turbulent," and South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha acknowledges communication limitations with the White House.

As North Korea, China, and Russia come together to reshape the international balance of power, the South Korea-U.S. alliance needs tight coordination and a swift effort to ease communication strains and rebuild mutual trust. Pursuing an independent foreign policy without making an effort to restore trust with the U.S. ally could lead to South Korea being sidelined by both Washington and Pyongyang.