Biden’s security deal with South Korea points to swift shift on regional alliances
A new agreement with South Korea on sharing the cost of keeping U. S. troops on the Korean Peninsula is early evidence that President Joe Biden is shifting America’s approach to alliances in Asia and beyond. It shows he will cut allies a break to build unity in competition against China and Russia.
President Donald Trump had demanded South Korea pay billions more to keep American troops on its soil. In his view, the United States was getting fleeced by what he suggested were freeloaders masquerading as allies. Initially, Trump insisted the South Korean government pay five times as much as it previously had. Seoul balked, diplomacy went nowhere, and relations with a treaty ally began to fray.
Biden, by contrast, settled for a 13.9% boost and follow-on increases that put the issue to rest.
Biden’s view is that wellfunctioning alliances are central to competing with China, which his administration sees as America’s biggest long-term security challenge, along with Russia. Biden’s promise to focus more on Asia mirrors commitments by the two previous administrations — with both having their plans stymied by persistent turmoil in the Mideast. In a sign that Biden could faces similar obstacles, his first known military attack was against extremist targets in Syria.
In what the White House called a sign of Biden’s commitment to partnering in the Asia-Pacific region, on Friday he will meet virtually with the leaders of three other regional powerhouses — India, Australia and Japan. Biden also is sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Japan and South Korea next week for security consultations; on his way home Blinken will join Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, for talks with Chinese officials in Alaska.
A few days before the election last November, candidate Biden foreshadowed his intentions toward Seoul in an opinion article he wrote for South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. He praised the South Koreans’ role in an alliance “forged in blood,” and he pointedly promised a new approach to Seoul if he were to win.
“Words matter — and a president’s words matter even more,” Biden wrote. “As president, I’ll stand with South Korea, strengthening our alliance to safeguard peace in East Asia and beyond, rather than extorting Seoul with reckless threats to remove our troops.” He promised “principled diplomacy.”
He might also have mentioned quick diplomacy. Last weekend, U. S. and South Korean negotiators reached an agreement that, if ratified by the South Korean national assembly, would end an impasse over Seoul’s share of the cost of keeping approximately 28,500 U. S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. The troops serve as a symbol of the U.S. commitment to a defense treaty born of the 1950-53 Korean War.
TEMPE, ARIZ. >> If Johnny Cueto looked like the AllStar- caliber starter he was at the beginning of his Giants tenure in his first Cactus League outing on Saturday, the right-hander opened Thursday’s game against the Angels at the opposite end of the spectrum.
During a 5- 4, seven-inning loss to the Angels, Cueto gave up four first-inning hits including a two-run home run to future Hall of Fame outfielder Mike Trout in an inning that was reminiscent of his roughest games from the 2020 season.
Initial signs of concern ultimately faded by the end of Cueto’s three- inning, 58- pitch start against an Angels club that had all of its best hitters in the lineup. The veteran right-hander actually exited his outing with a 3-2 lead and wrapped up his start Thursday by striking out Trout on a changeup that floated across the inner half of the plate and inducing a long flyout from third baseman Anthony Rendon
after manager Gabe Kapler paid him a visit.
“He came out to consult with me and to let me know that I was already at 60 pitches,” Cueto said. “He wanted to know if I wanted to face that last batter and I told him, ‘ Yeah,’”
Cueto struck out four batters in two innings on Saturday against Kansas City, but he didn’t have the same control of his pitches early on against the Angels.
He needed a 7- 6-2 relay to escape the first inning after giving up a double to Albert Pujols, but retired six of the final seven hitters he faced and likely would have set down six in a row had shortstop Mauricio Dubón been able to make a quicker glove-tothrowinghand transfer on an infield single hit by Shohei Ohtani.
With Cueto on the mound on Thursday and fellow right-hander Kevin Gausman slated to make his Cactus League debut on Friday against the Rockies, the Giants appear to be lining up their longest-tenured pitcher to make an Opening Day start against the Mariners in Seattle.
Kapler has not made any announcements regarding the Giants’ projected rotation since the beginning of spring, but fans should be able to start reading between the lines by the beginning of next week.
WILL WILSON REMINDS ANGELS
WHAT THEY MISS >> One of the most interesting trades of Farhan Zaidi’s tenure as the Giants’ president of baseball operations took place at the 2019 Winter Meetings, when the club essentially purchased a prospect from the Angels.
The Angels parted with their most recent first round draft choice, Will Wilson, because the Giants were willing to pick
up all of the $13-plus million owed to infielder Zack Cozart, who was recovering from shoulder surgery and unsure if he’d be able to play in the majors again. All the Giants gave up to get Wilson and Cozart was a “player to be named later,” who turned out to be minor league pitcher Garrett Williams.
The trade gave the Angels the financial flexibility to sign superstar third baseman Anthony Rendon and offered the Giants a chance to add a prospect they considered drafting with the 10th overall pick in 2019.
“There was some talk there, but obviously the
draft plays out in some weird, mysterious ways,” Wilson said Wednesday. “So everything worked out and I’m here now and that’s what I’m happy about.”
The Giants ended up using their first round pick to draft outfielder Hunter Bishop out of Arizona State, but landed Wilson six months later and now view him as a key part of their future. Wilson can play third base, shortstop and second base, but it’s his bat that the organization is most excited about.
“I think coming out of college, it was hit more balls in the air and do a little more damage than I did in that aspect,” Wilson said.
In a start against his former club, Wilson showed the Angels what they’re missing. Af ter three straight Giants hitters drew walks in the second inning, Wilson drilled a three-run double down the left field line to give the team a 3-2 lead.
More than a year after the trade, the Angels are thrilled to have Rendon and the Giants are eager to see Wilson’s development continue in the minors this year.
The true winner of the trade: Cozart, who was paid his 2020 salary in full despite never playing a game.