In this file photo dated May 21, 2022, US President Joe Biden (right) and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol arrive at the National Museum of Korea for the state dinner, in Seoul, South Korea. (PHOTO / AP)
SEOUL – South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol set off on Monday for the United States and a summit with President Joe Biden at a time of rare questioning in South Korea of an alliance that has guaranteed its security for decades.
Yoon's April 24-29 trip is the first state visit to the US by a South Korean leader in 12 years and will mark the 70th anniversary of a partnership that has helped anchor US strategy in Asia and provided a foundation for South Korea's emergence as an economic powerhouse.
But there are growing questions in South Korea about the relying on "extended deterrence", in essence the American nuclear umbrella, and calls, even from some senior members of Yoon's party, for South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons.
A recent poll by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies showed that more than 54 percent of respondents believed the US would not risk its safety to protect its Asian ally.
There are growing questions in South Korea about the relying on "extended deterrence", in essence the American nuclear umbrella, and calls, even from some senior members of Yoon's party, for South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons
More than 64 percent supported South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons, with about 33 percent opposed.
Yoon has been pushing to boost South Korea's say in operating the US extended deterrence but exactly what that might entail has not been spelt out.
Yoon's deputy national security adviser said both sides had been working on measures to operate the extended deterrence in a more concrete manner, hopefully with progress to be a revealed in a joint statement after the summit.
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"What I can tell you now is that people's interest in and expectations for extended deterrence have been great, and there are several things that have been carried out over the past year in terms of information sharing, planning and execution," the adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, told reporters.
"We need to take steps to organize these things so that it can be easily understood to anyone in one big picture, how this is implemented and developed."
Help for Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine, which some in South Korea feel is distracting the United States from dangers in Asia, has also led to some rare friction between Seoul and Washington.
The South Korean and US flags adorn the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House on April 21, 2023 ahead of the state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on April 26, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)
Leaked US military documents recently highlighted South Korean difficulties in dealing with pressure from its ally to help with the supply of military aid to Ukraine．
Suggestions reported in media that the United States had been spying on South Korean deliberations about its support to Ukraine have raised hackles in South Korea, though both sides have played the down the issue
South Korea, a major producer of artillery shells, says it has not provided lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relations with Russia. It has limited its support to humanitarian aid.
South Korea tries to avoid antagonizing Russia, due chiefly to business interests.
Suggestions reported in media that the United States had been spying on South Korean deliberations about its support to Ukraine have raised hackles in South Korea, though both sides have played the down the issue.
Yoon, in an interview with Reuters last week, signaled for the first time a softening in his position on arming Ukraine, saying his government might not "insist only on humanitarian or financial support" if Ukraine comes under "a situation the international community cannot condone".
A South Korean official said the government's position against arms support for Ukraine "raised eyebrows" in some countries at a time when South Korean defense firms have won big deals in Europe, including a $5.8 billion contract to supply howitzers and tanks to Poland.
Another South Korean official said the government had been "treading a fine line" as it tried to maintain ties with Russia but Yoon's remarks could give South Korea greater flexibility.
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Yoon is due to meet Biden for their summit on Wednesday. He will address the US Congress on Thursday.
Yoon is bringing business leaders to boost partnerships on supply chains and high-tech areas including chips and batteries. He will also discuss space cooperation at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.