The Future of Japan-Korea Relations: Are America’s Asian Alliances at Risk?

Presented: 

July 28, 2020 (Tuesday) in Los Angeles, CA

4:30PM to 6:00PM (Pacific Standard Time, GMT-8)

 

July 29, 2020 (Wednesday) in Seoul and Tokyo

8:30AM to 10:00AM (GMT+9)

  • The Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan are the two most important US allies in Asia. The Defense Department has dubbed the US-ROK alliance the "linchpin of peace and prosperity" and the US-Japan alliance the "cornerstone of peace and security."

    But the alliance system can only realize its full potential — and confront major regional and global challenges — if the third side of the strategic triangle, Japan-ROK relations, functions well. Strained relations and wavering US commitment to the region, however, threaten to weaken the US-led alliance architecture in Asia.

    This virtual event brought together a group of renowned experts to discuss Japan-ROK relations in the context of the following questions:

    • What role do Japan-ROK relations play in the larger U.S.-led Asian alliance system?
    • What legal, political, economic, historic, and strategic issues are sources of friction and cooperation between the two countries?
    • What lies ahead for ROK-Japan relations and how might they be strengthened?

    A virtual Q&A session followed the panel.

    This event was moderated by Gene Park, Director of the Global Policy Institute at LMU, and Mietek Boduszynski, former U.S. diplomat and professor at Pomona College.

    Keynote

    South Korea and Japan in an Era of Turbulence

    Jonathan Pollack, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution 

    Panelists

    Celeste Arrington, George Washington University

    Cheol-hee Park, Seoul National University

    Yoshihide Soeya, Keio University

    Sponsors

    Presented by the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University.

    This event is sponsored by the Korea Foundation.

    About Loyola Marymount University

    LMU is a private Catholic university with 6,000 undergraduates, 2,200 graduate students and 1,100 law students from diverse backgrounds and many perspectives. Our seven colleges and schools boast best-in-the-nation programs in film and television, business, education and more. Our stunning campus in West Los Angeles is a sun-soaked oasis overlooking the Pacific coast and a model of sustainability. We're rooted in the heart of Los Angeles, a global capital for arts and entertainment, innovation and technology, business and entrepreneurship. Our mission is grounded in a centuries-old Jesuit educational tradition that produces extraordinary men and women dedicated to service and social justice. We're proud of more than 85,000 LMU alumni whose professional achievements are matched by a deep commitment to improving the lives of others.