Evolution of alliance

New York summit should lay foundation for stronger ties

President Moon Jaein and U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed the strong alliance between Seoul and Washington at their summit in New York City, Tuesday.

As the U.S. and North Korea appear set to resume working-level negotiations on the latter's nuclear program, Moon told Trump he will support Washington to help it produce tangible results in the envisioned talks, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

It is a good thing that the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. met to share ideas and game plans ahead of the talks with the North. What is equally important is that they had in-depth discussions on how to develop the alliance in a "mutually beneficial and comprehensive" way, as Moon's aides put it.

For the Moon administration, better ties between the U.S. and North Korea are crucial to move the inter-Korean peace process forward. If the working-level talks are successful, it may lead to another summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jongun.

Then a new era could open on the Korean Peninsula.

It is needless to say that all peace efforts concerning North Korea should go ahead based on the strong alliance between Seoul and Washington. In other words, Trump definitely needs Moon's help to make Pyongyang change.

In this regard, the latest meeting with Trump was a good opportunity for Moon to dispel concerns in the U.S. about a possible rift in the alliance, caused by Seoul's recent decision to terminate sharing military intelligence with Japan. It was a strategic decision to protect Seoul's security interests from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Japan, but inevitably damaged America's regional interests. However, Seoul can revive the deal with Tokyo anytime if it suits its national interests.

Seoul and Washington share common interests as allies, but not necessarily in all matters. This is true for all allied nations. Seoul and Tokyo need each other to counter common threats, but a Japan governed by far-right politicians who are unrepentant about its wartime atrocities is a whole different story for South Korea.

Hopefully, the Moon-Trump summit will help patch things up.

Coincidentally or not, South Korea and the U.S. began negotiations the same day in Seoul to renew a defense cost-sharing deal. Trump apparently wants Seoul to sharply increase its payment for the upkeep of the 28,500 U.S. soldiers in the South.

At the summit, Moon told Trump that South Korea is open to sharing the troop maintenance cost on a "reasonable and fair" level, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Also on the table was South Korea's plan to purchase American weapons and military equipment, which may make North Korea crazy. For South Korea, this is only part of a long-term plan to prepare for the takeover of wartime operational control of Korean troops from the U.S., possibly in 2022.

Moon and Trump reaffirmed that the allies will avoid the use of military force against North Korea, promising a better future for the nation if it gives up its nuclear weapons.

No doubt, a robust Seoul-Washington alliance is a key pillar of regional peace and security. The ongoing deals between the two countries should benefit both and serve their common ― and respective ― strategic interests in the changing regional security environment.