The 1954 signing ceremony of the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. A moment when President Syngman Rhee's persistence bore fruit.

1. The Meeting of Korea and the U.S. and Its Early Days: Enlightenment and Civilization Born Amidst Conflict and Tribulation

The historical intersection between the Korean Peninsula and the United States began in the mid-19th century as Western powers expanded into East Asia. The 1866 General Sherman incident, in which a merchant ship sailed up the Taedong River demanding trade, and the 1871 Shinmiyangyo (United States expedition to Korea), where the Joseon Dynasty's resolve to reject foreign relations clashed with America's demands for opening ports, demonstrate that the early stages of bilateral relations were filled with conflict and vigilance.

At the time, the Joseon court—weak, corrupt, and stagnant—was slower to open its doors compared to neighboring countries like Japan, failing to respond flexibly to global shifts and accelerating its path toward national collapse.

The 1882 United States–Korea Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation marked a significant turning point in Korea-U.S. relations. The U.S. rejected the "vassal state" claims asserted by the Qing Dynasty and clearly recognized Joseon as an independent sovereign state in the treaty text.

Amidst the encroachment of great powers, King Gojong placed excessive hope in the U.S. as a massive maritime power. However, in the international political landscape of the time, the U.S. had little interest in direct control or excessive intervention in the Korean Peninsula.

Nevertheless, the American Protestant missionaries played a decisive role in delivering modern civilization to the people of Joseon, who were in dire need of enlightenment at the time. Following medical missionary H. N. Allen in 1884, H. G. Appenzeller and H. G. Underwood set foot on Korean soil in 1885. They established churches, schools, and hospitals throughout the country, transplanting modern educational and medical systems alongside the spread of the Gospel.

Over the course of a century, from 1884 to the 1970s, approximately 3,000 missionaries were sent to this land, dedicating themselves to fulfilling a divine mission while enduring countless hardships and sacrifices in an unfamiliar territory they had never visited. Even today, many missionaries and their families rest in the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery, watching over the Republic of Korea.

The spirit and ideals of the U.S. are well reflected in the Mayflower Compact of 1620 and the concept of "Manifest Destiny" in 1845. The former established the Puritan spirit as the foundation of America's founding philosophy, seeding the principles of liberal democracy that form the basis of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The latter was based on the intense ideological and moral justification that as a defender of freedom, it was both God's will and a historical mission for the U.S. to spread American-style democracy and liberty.

Educational and Cultural Development: Numerous educational institutions were established to nurture talent, such as Appenzeller's Paichai Hakdang, Underwood's Chosen Christian College (Yeonhi College), and Scranton's Ewha Hakdang. Missionaries took the lead in eradicating illiteracy by translating the Bible into Hangeul and promoting Korean language education, thereby enlightening the consciousness of the public.

Medical and Diplomatic Achievements: As King Gojong's personal physician, Allen founded Gwanghyewon (Jejungwon), laying the foundation for modern medicine, while H. B. Hulbert served as a diplomatic advisor who informed the world of Joseon's independence and the excellence of the Korean alphabet, also acting as a supporter of the independence movement.

Syngman Rhee and the Missionaries: While imprisoned in Hanseong Prison, Syngman Rhee was rescued through the help of missionaries and was able to study in the U.S., which later served as a catalyst for him to lead the independence of the Republic of Korea on the international diplomatic stage.

2. Suffering, the Independence Movement, and the Establishment of the Republic of Korea

At the beginning of the 20th century, great powers competed for control over the Korean Peninsula. In 1905, the U.S. adopted a realist foreign policy based on national interest, tacitly approving Japan's dominance over Korea through the Taft-Katsura Agreement. As a result, the Korean Peninsula became a colony of Imperial Japan.

This served as a harsh lesson that a nation's independence must be protected by its own strength and prosperity, and that relying on diplomacy for sovereign preservation has clear limitations.

However, Koreans overseas did not give up their diplomatic struggle for independence.

The First Korean Congress in Philadelphia (April 1919): Held immediately after the March First Independence Movement in Korea, this congress proclaimed a vision for building an independent nation based on the principles of liberal democracy.

Independence Movement through Diplomacy: Syngman Rhee conducted independence movements in Hawaii and the U.S. mainland, providing military funds to the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai and persuading the American political sphere of the justification for Korea's independence. In particular, his book Japan Inside Out, published on the eve of the Pacific War in 1941, shocked American society by accurately predicting Japan's invasion of the Pacific.

Cooperation between the Korean Liberation Army and the OSS: The Korean Liberation Army engaged in practical military cooperation with the U.S. intelligence agency, the OSS, preparing for operations to advance onto the Korean Peninsula.

Although liberation was achieved on August 15, 1945, through the U.S. victory in the Pacific War, the Korean Peninsula was divided along the 38th parallel. Despite the chaotic domestic and international situation regarding the trusteeship, a general election for the Constitutional Assembly was held under UN supervision on May 10, 1948. Following the enactment of the liberal democratic constitution on July 17, the establishment of the Republic of Korea was officially proclaimed on August 15.

This was a historical event that marked the first time in the history of the Korean Peninsula that a republic system based on liberal democracy and a market economy came to fruition.

3. The Korean War and the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty: The Birth of a "Blood Alliance"

Just two years after the establishment of the Republic of Korea, the Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, as a collaborative effort by Soviet, Chinese, and North Korean communist forces. In a crisis where the survival of the Republic of Korea was at stake, the U.S. convened the UN Security Council and led UN forces from 16 nations to fight and repel the aggressors. Through this war, in which more than 50,000 casualties were suffered to defend freedom with blood, the ROK-U.S. relationship was elevated from simple friendship to a "blood alliance."

During the 1953 armistice negotiations, President Syngman Rhee, concerned about re-invasion by communist forces after the withdrawal of U.S. troops, persistently pressured and persuaded the United States. As a result, the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty was signed in October 1953. This treaty served as a legal and military mechanism for the U.S. to guarantee South Korea's security, acting as a cornerstone that has deterred war on the peninsula and enabled the Republic of Korea's stable freedom and economic prosperity for the past 70 years.

In the postwar period, the U.S. not only provided massive economic aid but also supported the dispatch of numerous students and technicians, helping South Korea cultivate the human resources necessary to achieve industrialization and modernization.

Based on this foundation, the economic development plans and strengthening of defense posture under President Park Chung-hee, followed by the high economic growth and opening measures under President Chun Doo-hwan, led the Republic of Korea to achieve the "Miracle on the Han River."

4. Trials and Security Crises: The ROK-U.S. Alliance Amidst Internal and External Challenges and Anti-American Sentiments

The history of the ROK-U.S. alliance has not always been smooth. There were diplomatic difficulties, such as the Carter administration's attempt to withdraw U.S. forces from Korea in the 1970s, and North Korea has constantly violated the armistice agreement to threaten security.

North Korea has frequently violated the armistice through military provocations, including the capture of the USS Pueblo (1968), the Axe Murder Incident (1976), the hijacking and bombing of KAL flights (1969, 1987), the First and Second Yeonpyeong Naval Battles, the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan, and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. It continues to threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through constant nuclear and missile development.

More serious is the ideological and security rift within the Republic of Korea. Since the 1980s, anti-American forces have expanded their influence, shaking the security foundation of a free South Korea by demanding the dissolution of the ROK-U.S. alliance, the withdrawal of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), and the signing of a peace treaty.

Recent anti-American activities appear brazen. Regulations on companies and markets (Coupang, Starbucks, etc.), issues surrounding freedom of expression (the indictment and exit ban of former U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert), problems with implementing investments in the U.S., and the weakening of national defense posture are raising concerns.

However, the U.S. political establishment remains firmly aware of the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance and is taking necessary countermeasures. Through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the U.S. Congress has legislated to prevent arbitrary reductions in the scale of USFK, maintaining an unwavering commitment to keeping American troops in Korea.

The United Nations Command (UNC) has recently been pushing for reorganization into a Guard and Armistice Enforcement Brigade, integrating the Military Armistice Commission and the JSA Security Battalion. The reinforcement of the UNC's functions and the maintenance of Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek—the largest overseas U.S. military base—demonstrate that USFK remains a key shield against the expansion of China and North Korea.

The recently appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Michelle Steele, has also expressed her firm commitment to developing the ROK-U.S. alliance into an even stronger, safer, and more prosperous relationship.

5. The Value of the ROK-U.S. Alliance and the Era’s Task of Free Unification

Historically, the Korean Peninsula has been a geopolitical flashpoint and a battleground where continental powers (communist/totalitarian regimes like China, Russia, and North Korea) and maritime powers (liberal democracies like the U.S. and Japan) collide. Even today, the peninsula remains an unfinished zone where ideology and security are in constant conflict under the armistice system. Recognizing that the Korean Peninsula issue has historically been overwhelmingly driven by international factors (the fall of Joseon, independence from Japan, the Korean War, etc.), the Republic of Korea must maintain a steadfast security and diplomatic posture for its survival and prosperity.

The U.S., which delivered modernization, civilization, and the Gospel to a secluded Joseon land that was ignorant of the world, brought independence from Japan through its victory in the Pacific War, and stood together to defend freedom during the Korean War, with countless soldiers shedding their blood against communist aggression.

The ROK-U.S. alliance, which has developed for over a century and a half despite constant changes and crises in the international landscape, has evolved into an "Ironclad Alliance" forged in blood. The Republic of Korea's defense of freedom and its economic prosperity are the fruits of history that were made possible because of the solid fence provided by the ROK-U.S. alliance.

The task of the era that we face on the 81st Liberation Day is clear. We must guard against the weakening of our security posture and continue to consolidate and develop the ROK-U.S. alliance with the United States—the nation with the world's most powerful national strength and military—to complete "Free Unification," which will root the values of liberal democracy, human rights, and a market economy across the entire Korean Peninsula. An unwavering ROK-U.S. alliance is the only path that guarantees the sustainable future of the Republic of Korea and true peace on the Korean Peninsula.