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"Two Presidents, One Agenda: A Blueprint for South Korea and the United States to Address the Challenges of the 2020s and Beyond" presents concrete policy recommendations that the authors seek to offer to the presidents of both countries regarding the most significant security and economic challenges and opportunities the alliance will face in the years ahead. The volume is organized into two main parts. The first addresses the changing geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia, while the second focuses on economic and trade issues, encompassing a total of twelve agenda items. For each major strategic, geopolitical, and economic issue, one Korean expert and one American expert outline policy responses from their respective national perspectives. On more specialized topics, a single expert from either country provides recommendations.
All contributors to this volume are leading authorities in their respective fields with distinguished academic achievements, and many have also accumulated substantial experience in public service. Rather than engaging primarily in theoretical inquiry, the authors aim to provide practical and actionable policy items that Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Joe Biden can implement. As reflected in the chapters that follow, the contributors have made every effort to develop substantive recommendations.
The book begins by examining the major strategic and geopolitical issues confronting both countries. Abraham Denmark and Jae Ho Chung analyze South Korea’s role in China–South Korea relations and in the context of major power competition. Victor Cha and Dana Kim, together with Park Won Gon, address the escalating threat posed by North Korea. Sheila Smith and Sook Jong Lee explore trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan, while Yoon Young Kwan and Andrew Yeo assess the implications of the Russia–Ukraine war for South Korea and the alliance.
The first half concludes with Scott Snyder and Jeon Jae Sung assessing the current state of the ROK–US alliance, a cornerstone of South Korea’s foreign policy. The second half examines how the alliance should respond to trade, technology, and emerging frontier issues. Wendy Cutler and Park Tae Ho begin by reviewing trade issues including regional and global trade structures. This is followed by Matthew Goodman and Hyung Gon Jeong on supply chains, Mi Yeon Oh on economic security and public–private cooperation, Sang Hyun Lee on nuclear issues, Clara Gillispie on climate change, Adam Segal on cybersecurity, and Soonman Kwon on public health.
In light of the profound changes that are fundamentally reshaping the international environment, South Korea and the United States can no longer respond to their bilateral relationship and shared challenges in a “business as usual” manner. To address this wide array of issues, the presidents of both countries require concrete, innovative, and actionable recommendations from experienced policymakers and scholars. This volume aims to provide a clear direction forward for both governments.
*Source: Woodrow Wilson Center, “Two Presidents, One Agenda: A Blueprint for South Korea and the United States to Address the Challenges of the 2020s and Beyond,” Edited by Dr. Sue Mi Terry, Washington, DC: Wilson Center, May 2022 (Excerpt from the Preface)