hankyoreh

Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea

President Trump describes our fight against the coronavirus pandemic as a war against an “invisible enemy.” Prior to wearing the 3-piece, pinstriped uniform of a diplomat, I spent 40 years in the U.S. military preparing for contingencies of every sort, so I would even go so far as to call this a world war. This contagion could well be one of the biggest challenges facing our generation...only time will tell.

History reminds us that allies and partners are critical to defeating an enemy and winning any global fight. Nowhere is this truer than right here in the Republic of Korea. For generations, the U.S.-ROK Alliance has been the linchpin of peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia. The response by the citizens of the Republic of Korea and the United States, especially by our medical and first responder heroes who run to the sounds of the guns and into the heart of the pandemic, gives us renewed encouragement and hope. During times of crisis, close and transparent coordination among allies, partners, and friends is key to developing swift, effective responses. Transparency saves lives.

Seventy years ago, the ROK and the United States fought side by side, putting into motion what would become this amazing Alliance. Forged in the crucible of war and hardened by blood spilled together, our partnership has faced no challenge which we could not overcome together. Our relationship is distinguished by shared values, myriad people-to-people ties, and leading-edge cooperation, highlighted by our latest efforts to contain and overcome this dangerous pathogen -- not just in our countries but globally. Our recent currency swap agreement and our ongoing bilateral cooperation to ensure safe evacuation and passage of our respective citizens from virus hot zones demonstrate our commitment to keeping our people safe and our economies strong. To me, the value of alliances is most evident in times of hardship such as these.

Since the outbreak of this pandemic, the ROK's response serves as a model to successfully fight this virus. The South Korean way brings to bear all of the might, brainpower, and resources of a determined people living in an open democracy - a free, independent press; accurate and transparent information sharing; aggressive, technically innovative, and first-rate testing; creative emphasis on social distancing; and rock-solid preventative measures. In order to see first-hand how successfully South Korea is confronting this pandemic, I recently visited Incheon International Airport. There I witnessed South Korean government, military, police, medical, and airport officials working on the frontlines to rapidly stand up procedures that would ensure passengers departing from, and arriving into, South Korea are carefully screened and properly cared for. In the days since, evidence has shown that through these procedures South Korea is protecting not only its own citizens and non-Koreans who live, work, and visit here – like the 200,000 Americans of which I’m one -- but also the citizens of the world. Since the opening days of a crisis that has now enveloped the globe, I have been grateful for how our countries work together on the safe flow of people and goods between our countries. That cooperation reflects our unique partnership: our foundational security alliance, robust commercial linkages, expansive academic and artistic exchanges and, as previously mentioned, our deep people-to-people ties.

As President Trump affirmed to President Moon in their telephone conversation just last week, the United States appreciates the Republic of Korea’s aggressive fight against COVID-19 and Seoul’s close cooperation with Washington during this global pandemic. We also appreciate President Moon’s decision to expedite the sale of South Korean test kits on the U.S. market. In such uncertain times, only close coordination among allies, partners, and friends will ensure a swift and effective response is developed and deployed. I am proud that America's close ally is the global gold standard in its handling of COVID-19, and I'm pleased that the ROK is sharing its world class expertise with not only the United States, but the world.

I recently learned the meaning of the Korean expression, “crossing a river in the same boat.” In such times of adversity, the people of the Republic of Korea and the United States—indeed the world―are all in the same boat. We need "all hands on deck" to accurately diagnose, treat, and overcome this global health pandemic. Now is the time for all nations to work together. President Trump has said there is “tremendous hope as we look forward and we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel - stay focused and stay strong.” Those are marching orders we can all rally around

Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea

The views presented in this column are the writer’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Hankyoreh.

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