From military alliance to economic partnership: How Trump is redefining U.S.-South Korea ties

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to journalists aboard Air Force One en route to South Korea on October 29, 2025 in Japan.Andrew Harnik | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump's move last week to scale back annual military drills with South Korea came as Seoul finalizes hundreds of billions of dollars in investment commitments to Washington. Trump's frustration over U.S. military spending overseas and stalled implementation of Korea's investments signal a shift in the allies' relationship from one based on security to economics, experts said. There are now doubts about whether investments will ensure U.S. commitments to Korea's security that many in Seoul and Washington hoped, said Darcie Draudt‑Véjares,​ a​ fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She was referring to the $350 billion Korea promised to invest in the U.S. in exchange for lower "reciprocal" tariffs last year."Looked at a different way, we could see a shift from a relationship centered around a military alliance to one centered around integrated industrial ecosystems," Draudt‑Véjares said. That puts "economics rather than security as the basis of the U.S.-South Korea partnership." ...