Presidents Biden and Yoon pledged to deepen and broaden the scope of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, but their success could depend on how China, Japan, and North Korea respond.

The United States and South Korea are marking their seventy-year alliance with a state visit amid tighter defense collaboration. But the alliance “forged in blood” should now evolve to be powered by chips, batteries, and clean technology.

President-Elect Yoon Suk-yeol has pledged to strengthen ties with the United States and take a more hard-line approach toward China and North Korea than his predecessor.

Mounting frictions between the two sides appear to be part of China’s efforts to disrupt the ties between South Korea and the United States but could end up drawing the two allies even closer.

The vote for South Korea’s next president is taking place in a fractious political environment and is likely to bring a foreign policy neophyte to power.