Given the less than favorable view that most South Koreans have of the U.S. it seems to me that a radical change is needed in US foreign policy. How about we tell the Chinese and South Koreans that if they force the collapse of N. Korea, then all U.S. troops will leave. China would certainly be happy with this outcome esp. if we promise to help in the reconstruction of N. Korea. Most in S. Korea would also welcome the removal of U.S. troops and there would be no need for them if N. Korea collapses. What are your thoughts?
 

"How about we tell the Chinese and South Koreans that if they force the collapse of N. Korea, then all U.S. troops will leave"

That strikes me as exceedingly sound advice.

South Korea's democracy, like all young democracies is wrestling both with resurgent nationalism which the Koreans increasingly define as being in opposition to Japan and the United States and with a very adolescent political immaturity.

The ROK's Left party has deliberately and systematically cultivated anti-American sentiment in the South Korean media and through the radically oriented teacher's unions for the last decade. They have also stifled anti-communist sentiment and bent over backward to whitewash the record of the Pyomngyang regime.

While we have to accept that South Korea's government is basically unfriendly they are also not stupid. They know the ROK draws certain benefits from the U.S. alliance - far more than the U.S. gets in return from the ROK - so you see Seoul placating America on questions important to the Bush administration, like on Iraq.

The U.S. is tolerating ROK attitudes because at the end of the day, everyone in East Asia - China,ROK, Japan, Russia, the U.S. - is served by the stabilizing effect of an American presence. The exception is North Korea but even they would like some American sugar in the form of financial subsidies to keep their decrepit slave labor economy alive.

I have to say though, Seoul is skating on exceedingly thin ice with the Bush administration and not a few ppl in the Democratic Party. If Rumsfeld had his way we'd have abrogated the defense treaty and pulled out of south Korea unilaterally to gain a " free hand" at walloping the North Koreans by air (if required) and freeing up troops and cash for other uses. Cooler heads have prevailed thus far

I'm not sure if South Koreans realize the extent to which they have used up their credit with Washington which sees Beijing and not Seoul as the critical partner to win over in the 6-way talks. Nor is there any real enthusiasm for South Korea among the American public, the ROK simply benefits from American antipathy toward the DPRK. The more closely the two Koreas are identified in the eyes of the American people, the worse it is politically for Seoul.No congressman is going to get reelected defending our alliance with South Korea
 

Thanks, makes sense. The N. Korea zone blog has a link to an interesting article by a professor at Yonsei University. He outlines much of what you describe but also talks about the economic policies of the current government. http://www.nkzone.org/nkzone/entry/2005/12/a_good_summary_.php#trackback

Barnabus