The Peace-keeping Role of the American troops in South Korea

The American troops in South Korea are a contested issue in inter-Korean relations. While the opinion of South Korea and the United Statesis that they are essential for the South’s defence, North Korea’s view is that they hinder re-unification. The South Korea-United States alliance was formed during the Korean War (1950-1953) and is analyzed on the basis of alliance theory. The alliance was strengthened by the signing of a Mutual Defence Treaty in 1953 that is the legal basis for the American troops’ presence. The United States prevented South Korea to retaliate against North Korea following assassination attempts of South Korean presidents in 1968 and 1983. Troop reductions in 1970-1971, 1990-1992 and 2004-2008 caused tensions. Tensions reached a peak due to President Jimmy Carter’s (1977-1981) troop withdrawal policy but it was cancelled owing to strong opposition and an underestimation of North Korea’s armed forces. The American troops have contributed to maintain peace by establishing joint South Korean-American fighting power, by providing superior intelligence power and by serving as a force that both countries regard to be of the utmost importance for the South’s defence