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The United States' distant support of Korean independence began with the signing of a commerce agreement with the Emperor in 1882. This opened the doors for communication between the two countries through the exchange of diplomatic representatives, most-favored nation status for trade, and protection of U.S. citizens. This relationship did not prompt the United States to battle for possession of Korea, and the U.S.'s failure to object to the Japanese takeover was despite the pleas of the Korean Emperor for intervention. Other U.S. foreign interests took precedence over the freedom of Korea despite the treaty, and the alleged alliance between Korea and the United States proved to be weaker than Korea had hoped it would be. In this situation, the U.S. failed to support its ally due to other political motivations, which harmed and disappointed Korea.
After Japan relinquished its control over Korea, the United States negotiated with the USSR and gained South Korea, below the 38th parallel. Occupation of South Korea by the U.S. obviously increased the division between the North and South, despite the fact that the original intention of the joint occupation of Korea was to unify the nation and allow its people to establish their own government. However, because neither nation wanted to be the first to withdraw, the divided occupation of Korea continued. Here, the ideological motivations of the United States prevented it from acting in accordance with its agreements and original intentions. Acting in the interest of capitalism rather than in the best interests of the Korean citizens, the United States proceeded to engage in war and merely perpetuated the long history of Korean subjugation under a superpower's rule.
Even after the war was over, Korea was still not completely free to exercise self-government on its own, and the U.S. Military Government in Korea was a dominating bureaucracy which showed favoritism towards Japanese, caused labor disputes, and failed in its attempt to bridge the right and left sides of Korean parties. This justifiably frustrated many Koreans, but eventually they were brought into high positions in their own government. The United States was reluctant to relinquish its control and allow South Korea to function independently, and it was not until 1948 that the first general elections were held. The establishment of free elections was one of the greatest benefits of U.S. influence on Korea. As a result, the Republic of Korea was established and recognized by the United Nations, and its sovereign power was supported by the United States.
This political freedom was a welcome change for South Korea, and with the ability to westernize themselves (with some help); they have elected to remain a capitalist nation. Due to its anti-Communist political interests, the United States has contributed a large amount of capital and technology to Korea. This significantly aided the postwar reconstruction effort, as well as the establishment of a stronger economy in South Korea through the advancement of industry. One of the most notable contributions was made between 1946 and 1976, in which 12.6 billion U.S. dollars were given in order to facilitate the economic and military development of Korea.
U.S. involvement has also benefited the nation because the superpower has provided Korea with grants and aided in the procurement of loans from the World Bank, which minimize Korea's national debt and allow for the improvement of industries such as transportation, manufacturing, electric power, and a large project to expand the textile industry that had once been very strong. The additional revenue provided by the United States has allowed South Korea to become remarkably self-sufficient and a valuable trading partner. As part of its anti-communist strategy, the United States continues to favor South Korea as a trading partner and acts as an advocate for the smaller nation in the interest of perpetuating capitalism.
While the overall influence of the United States can be seen as beneficial to the Korean political, economic, and social systems, their primary contribution was capital and technology in the interest of promoting their own ideologies. The determination to influence Korea has restricted true independence for this country, and although foreign aid has helped the country materially, foreign intervention has interfered in the natural progression of Korea's history and has caused more harm than good.
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