► The cooperation agreements made based on this trust during the recent South Korea-U.S. summit will navigate the bilateral relations over the next 70 years.

► NCG entitles South Korea to participate on equal footing with the U.S. in its planning and steering of nuclear deterrence strategy against North Korea.

► Cooperation agreements in the cyber and space domains have also paved the way for the alliance to develop and flourish for the next 70 years.

The achievements of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the United States to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. alliance were established upon the strong trust between the two nations. From nuclear deterrence to cyberspace and outer space developments, the areas for cooperation agreed upon by the two countries prerequisites solid trust. The cooperation agreements made based on this trust during the recent South Korea-U.S. summit will navigate the bilateral relations over the next 70 years.

Of the most noteworthy was the "Washington Declaration," which resulted in the establishment of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG). To date, the U.S. has regarded nuclear weapons as its exclusive domain in relations with its non-nuclear allies. Even allies were even excluded from the so-called "nuclear umbrella" strategy provided to ensure their nuclear security. Apart from the NATO Nuclear Planning Group (NPG), allies, especially those in bilateral alliances, were not permitted to participate in any form.

The NCG entitles South Korea to participate on equal footing with the U.S. in its planning and steering of nuclear deterrence strategy against North Korea. In other words, South Korea will have a saying in the process, voicing its interest and making input in addition to having a claim on the U.S. to share information it deems necessary. Being the first case in the history of U.S. alliances would not have come without Washington’s deep trust and confidence in Seoul.

Cooperation agreements in the cyber and space domains have also paved the way for the alliance to develop and flourish for the next 70 years. Last November, the South Korean government presented its long-term space policy vision in the "2045 Space Economy Global Powerhouse Roadmap." It envisioned Korea becoming a space powerhouse by landing on the moon by 2035, landing on Mars by 2045, and transporting people to space by 2050. U.S.‘ embracement of cooperation would have been almost impossible, again, without deep trust and confidence. It is largely because such cooperation requires the transfer of a substantial amount of sensitive technologies from the U.S. If reflects the level of trust and confidence of the alliance.

The U.S.' solid trust in its ally was also verified when they agreed on cooperation in the cyber technology domain. Over the last three years or so, the U.S. Congress introduced several bills with the intent to strengthen U.S. cyber security. Although not all bills were passed, they share several key elements. They demand U.S. departments inspect all their cyber networks installed in the United States as well as operating overseas. The investigation is to verify if there were any Chinese products used in these networks. If any of the parts, equipment, systems, and facilities were found to have Chinese products, bills highly recommend their replacement. Since South Korea is one of the largest suppliers of IT products, it alludes to stronger cooperation between the allies in the cyber domain should the relevant bills be passed and their purposes met.

On the economic front, Seoul and Washington also promised to consult on such matters as the Inflation Reduction Act(IRA) and the CHIPS and Science Act. They are available for further revision and improvement as they were hastily adopted by the U.S. Congress for political reasons (i.e. mid-term election). Hence, they failed to properly reflect the realities of relevant industries, leaving many unrealistic loopholes that only go against not only the interests of the allies and friends but also American companies. American companies are, for instance, compelled to seek business opportunities despite the prospective disadvantages they may get in return. Successive visits by Western leaders to China in recent times also speak volumes. The Joint Statement from the summit reassured of the U.S. government’s close consultation with the Korean counterpart should further revision of these bills arise. Again, such reassurance on the part of the U.S. reflects the level of appreciation that it has in its business relationships with South Korea.

In the end, the aforementioned bilateral agreements across various domains demonstrate where Korea and the U.S. stand on their respective level of trust and confidence. The Monumental Tower of trust and confidence that the two have built over the past 70 years will continue to shine for the next 70 years. The sound implementation of follow-up measures will certainly lead to this end