Commentary
August 4, 2026
A member of a South Korean civic group delivers a speech during a press conference denouncing the United States' unilateral tariff hikes and opposing interference in South Korea's domestic affairs, in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on July 28, 2026. (Matrix Images/Jung Ui-Chel via Reuters Connect)
9 min read
The United States’ alliance with the Republic of Korea (ROK) remains strategically strong. Both governments have expanded cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI), shipbuilding, nuclear energy, semiconductors, and defense. Yet beneath the surface, a few areas of friction continue to percolate. Most are economic rather than military, reflecting the Trump administration’s emphasis on revitalizing domestic manufacturing and ensuring reciprocal trade relations. However, South Koreans are cognizant that economic and security issues are closely intertwined, particularly under the second Trump administration. In the Q&A below, Brookings Senior Fellows Andrew Yeo and Kari Heerman discuss with Senior Research Assistant Hanna Foreman the state of U.S.-South Korea relations and the path forward for economic cooperation and technology investments.
