South Korean Government Balances Growing Ties Between Competing Nations China And The U.S. Amid Goals Of Unifying South And North Korea

by Czarelli Tuason / Oct 14, 2015 03:30 AM EDT

U.S. President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Guen Hye | By: Pool | Getty Images

On Friday, South Korean President Park Guen Hye went on a three-day Washington visit to meet with President Barack Obama as a sign of a growing and strengthening ties between the two nations, despite South Korea's strong relations with U.S.'s competition, China.

According to Washington Times on Monday, South Korea is not among the founding members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, one of the Obama administration's trade agenda goals, but is a key body to China's Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which aims to counter the TPP.

Also, the U.S. officials are pushing to reconstruct and modernize the American military footprint in South Korea through a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antiballistic missile system in the country, which Park has so far been reluctant to support.

"The US is very concerned about China expanding its military presence in the region and so the United States is seeing South Korea playing a role here, especially as its close ally," said analyst Kim Hyun Wook.

Some people deem the South Korean president's decision as being protective of the country's relation with China as the THAAD may affect China's endeavor to pursue military supremacy over South Korea.

However, the PBS NewsHour noted on Tuesday that despite China being a major issue for both the U.S. and South Korea, the goals and interests of the three nations do not automatically coincide.

With regards to North Korea, Park's primary interest at the moment is the unification of both their nations to become one country of 50 million people and among the world's wealthiest and strongest nations. Obama, on the other hand, aims to strip North Korea of their nuclear weaponries, while Chinese President Xi Jinping aims for stability with North Korea.

"I don't think there's a point for South Korea to try and choose which side to take between the United States and China," said Kim. "I think what's important is to focus on what needs to be done to make progress in inter-Korean relations."

Park's meeting with Obama at Washington is also expected to include discussions on when Seoul may be invited to join the TPP after expressing interest on the pact on November 2013.