Alliance Partnership between South Korea and the United States
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Abstract
This qualitative research article uses a documentary analysis method to study how economic development, democracy and the democratization process affect the relationship between South Korea and the United States. It also aims to examine factors that sustain their alliance despite South Korea’s achievement of economic, social, and political stability comparable to that of a developed country. Using realist theory, the balance of power framework, and democracy and the democratization process concepts, the study finds that the alliance between South Korea and the United States originated from and is based on state security concepts derived from realist theory and the balance of power framework. Meanwhile, economic development and the democratization process have not only led to a restructuring of the alliance but have also increased the complexity of the relationship. This research offers a new approach to analyzing the alliance relationship by incorporating internal factors – South Korea’s economic development and democratization – as additional components alongside traditional security dimensions, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of the alliance partnership between states.
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