South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law took the Biden administration by surprise, despite the close economic, security and diplomatic ties between the two allies. On Tuesday, U.S. officials were tight-lipped about the unfolding power struggle in Seoul between Mr. Yoon and South Korean lawmakers and how it might affect tensions on a divided, heavily armed peninsula.
Officials admitted privately to being stunned by the news out of Seoul: Political instability in a country that hosts thousands of U.S. military personnel across several bases isn’t what the White House anticipated in the last weeks of President Biden’s term of office.
On Tuesday, a Defense Department official would say only that the Pentagon was aware of the situation in Korea and was monitoring the developments. A top State Department official said they were watching the developments “with grave concern.”
“We’re seeking to engage our [Republic of Korea] counterparts at every level - both here and in Seoul,” Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told reporters at an unrelated event at the State Department. “The President, the national security adviser [and] the secretary of state have all been briefed on developments and are being kept apprised of the situation as it unfolds,” he said.
President Biden, in the middle of a trip to Africa, only acknowledged that he had been informed of Mr. Yoon’s declaration of martial law, and declined further comment.
Mr. Campbell stressed that the U.S. alliance with South Korea is ironclad and that Washington was standing by its ally in their “time of uncertainty.”
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“I also want to underscore that we have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” Mr. Campbell said.
The Biden administration had cultivated a strong relationship with Mr. Yoon, who famously sang “American Pie” while being feted by President Biden in a 2023 White House state dinner in his honor.
More substantively, Mr. Yoon scored points in Washington with a tough line against North Korean aggression and his willingness to take political risks to repair relations with Japan, another key U.S. regional ally. Mr. Yoon took part in the tripartite summit with Mr. Biden and then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Camp David in August meant to signal a new era of cooperation and collaboration between the three countries.
Complicating the U.S. reaction is the vital role South Korea plays in the American security architecture across the region, where China, North Korea and Russia all post substantial challenges to U.S. interests.
About 25,000 American military personnel are assigned to U.S. Forces Korea, including Army, Navy, Air Force, special operations, and Space Force personnel. The U.S. also provides a nuclear umbrella to deter a nuclear-armed North Korea from attacking its southern neighbor.
U.S. officials have not indicated what impact the imposition of martial law might have on the U.S. troops in South Korea or whether the security posture would be adjusted for American forces there. U.S. Forces Korea said on its web page that they were at “Force Protection Condition Bravo” — indicating that an increased or more predictable threat of terrorist activity exists in the country.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.