There has been a suggestion that if former US President Donald Trump is elected in next year’s US presidential election, South Korea should take the lead in defense against North Korea’s conventional forces. This means that the role of the US Forces in Korea should be reduced so that US troops deployed in the Indo-Pacific can focus on deterrence against China. It is pointed out that this could lead to discussions on reducing US troops stationed in Korea. As former President Trump’s approval rating is rising ahead of the presidential election, there are concerns that the ‘alliance risk’ may increase as the outlines of the Republican Party’s plan to take power, which includes changes that could shake up the political situation on the Korean Peninsula, are revealed.
● “Accelerating the collective security system in the Intai region”
About 350 U.S. experts in various fields, including staff from the Trump administration, recently released a report titled ‘180 Day Plan.’ If the government is replaced by the current opposition Republican Party in next year’s presidential election, it is a policy proposal report that comprehensively covers the policy tasks of each ministry, including foreign affairs, defense, information, economy, and industry, to be implemented within 180 days after the new president takes office. The 180-day plan was developed as part of ‘Project 2025,’ a regime transition project in which 45 organizations, including the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, participated. Former President Trump reportedly plans to form a talent pool for his cabinet and staff through Project 2025 if he is elected.
In particular, a report on the defense sector written by former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller cited prioritizing deterrence against China and expanding defense cost sharing for allies as the top reform tasks. The defense sector report argued that “China could subordinate (US) allies such as Taiwan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Japan,” and that “US defense plans should focus on effective defense against China, especially Taiwan.” He went on to suggest that “US allies should take on much greater responsibility for conventional defense,” and that “South Korea should take the lead in conventional defense against North Korea.”
This means that the role of US forces in Korea should be reduced in response to conventional forces excluding North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles. Previously, the Strategic Studies Institute ( SSI) under the U.S. Army Graduate School) is in the same context as suggesting that Korea should take greater responsibility for conventional ground defense in order to redeploy U.S. forces to check China in 2020 during the Trump administration. The report also said, “We need to support greater spending to create a collective security model and support cooperation with바카라 Asia-Pacific allies such as Taiwan, Japan, and Australia,” arguing for the need to accelerate the establishment of a collective security system in the Indo-Pacific region and expand defense cost sharing. .
The report suggested that in order to respond to North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles, submarine-launched nuclear cruise missiles ( SLCM-N ) should be developed and at least 64 next-generation interceptor missiles ( NGI ) should be deployed to specifically defend the U.S. mainland . In addition, “all of America’s nuclear capabilities and related infrastructure were built during the Cold War,” and “the next administration should focus on modernizing the nuclear triad (strategic nuclear submarines equipped with nuclear missiles, SSBNs, strategic bombers, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, ICBMs ) . ” “He emphasized.
● “Raise tariffs on all Chinese products”
In the field of diplomacy, he indicated that the security cooperation organization ‘ Quad ‘, in which the United States, Japan, India and Australia participate, should be placed at the center of the Indo-Pacific strategy and that the Quad should be expanded. “The State Department should promote the ‘Quad Plus (+)’ concept that would allow other regional powers to participate in Quad coordination on issues of mutual interest,” the report noted. The Trump administration has considered including Korea in the Quad Plus.
In the field of trade, a number of hard-line policies against China were included, such as raising tariffs on all Chinese products and ending China’s developing country status. It also included a proposal to add trade agreements, including tariffs, to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework ( IPEF ). The report also suggested that in order to reform toward a smaller government, a major reorganization should be undertaken on the first day of the new government’s inauguration, including firing up to 50,000 federal civil servants and abolishing some ministries.