Today I would like to talk about precisely how we should take on the goal of strengthening the US - ROK alliance.

US is going through a hard time

We Koreans were liberated, survived the war, and have grown to become one of the most developed nations in the world; this would not be without support from the US.

As such, the US - ROK alliance comes before all other ties that ROK has.

Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US has spent trillions of dollars to ameliorate its effects; this in turn caused inflation, which is why the US is currently undergoing economic hardships.

However, would printing money truly solve this economic struggle? During the Great Depression, FDR employed the New Deal policy to create jobs and infrastructure, which processed available resources to stimulate the economy. But that was 90 years ago. Now, an excessive amount of infrastructure and lack of resources seeks to undo the US. I believe that the US should focus on finding new resources to overcome its current economic predicament. And such resources can be found in South Korea.

South of the Jeju-Island lies a vast oceanic oilfield called Mining District 7. It is currently bound by a ROK - JPN contract that expires in 2028. JPN, however, is deliberately stalling procedures, most likely in the hopes of claiming District 7 all for itself.

I believe that the ROK government should involve the US into this ‘stalemate’ and offer an accord. An accord that entails the co-excavation of District 7 between ROK and the US, in which the subsequent profits will be split 50-50.

In addition, there is another oilfield in international waters called the West Korean Gulf. It is situated between the Gulf of Pohai and the Gulf of Zhili. If ROK and the US were to co-excavate these aforementioned waters, economic grievances would be grievances no more.

The US - ROK alliance, for the past 73 years, has been that of charity. An act of benevolence bestowed upon us Koreans, by the US. Should the aforementioned plans be executed, it would change into an alliance between equals, in which both nations benefit.

On that note, I would like to talk about the fallen nation of Manchuria. Manchuria is a fertile land, perfect for agriculture. I believe that liberating this land from China’s grasp is in the best interest for both ROK and the US. 

Liberating Manchuria and creating a tight alliance of Manchuria, Korea, and the US will be the best method of keeping China in check. Should the US military situate itself right at China’s northeastern border and establish a solid defense line, any territorial ambition that China holds will be controlled.