Dynamics of US Intervention in Korea-Japan Conflict

Abstract

Since the end of Japanese colonization in 1945, the relationship between South Korea and Japan can be characterized to be a series of highs and lows with key volatile conflicts inciting heavy tensions between the two. Especially in the last decade, there has been a heavy resurgence of conflicts between the two, that have led to concerns of alliance sustainability especially for the United States who are key alliance partners of these two countries. With this in mind, it begs the question of what role the United States should play in considering mediation between Korea and Japan. Is it the individual leaders, domestic government or specific conditions that drive the decision making of the US towards active conflict mediation? This paper sets to present a comparative analysis from the Obama Administration to the current Trump Administration to identify what conditions must be met to result in the US enacting certain modes of intervention. Through a detailed analysis of three case studies where there was exacerbated conflict between the two, this dissertation argues that the US decisions on enacting a certain mode of intervention is dependent on whether the results meet the strategic interests of each respective administration.