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# South Korea

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Learn More								U.S. Relationship																									These are excerpts from the U.S. Relations With the Republic of Korea																			-  												U.S.-Republic of Korea Relations											 
-  												Bilateral Economic Relations											 
													U.S.-Republic of Korea Relations													The U.S. and Korea’s Joseon Dynasty established diplomatic relations under the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, and the first U.S. diplomatic envoy arrived in Korea in 1883. U.S.-Korea relations continued until 1905, when Japan assumed direction over Korean foreign affairs. In 1910, Japan began a 35-year period of colonial rule over Korea. Following Japan’s surrender in 1945,The U.S. and Korea’s Joseon Dynasty established diplomatic relations under the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, and the first U.S. diplomatic envoy arrived in Korea in 1883. U.S.-Korea relations continued until 1905, when Japan assumed direction over Korean foreign affairs. In 1910, Japan began a 35-year period of colonial rule over Korea. Following Japan’s surrender in 1945, at the end of World War II, the Korean Peninsula was divided at the 38th parallel into two occupation zones, with the U.S. in the South and the Soviet Union in the North. Initial hopes for a unified, independent Korea were not realized, and in 1948 two separate nations were established — the Republic of Korea in the South, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the North. In 1949, the U.S. established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea.Collapse U.S.-Republic of Korea Relations															Read more about U.S.-Republic of Korea Relations																												Bilateral Economic Relations													Over the past several decades, the Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) has achieved a remarkably high level of economic growth and is now the United States’ sixth-largest goods trading partner with a trillion-dollar economy. Major U.S. firms have long been leading investors, while the R.O.K.’s top firms have made significant investments in the U.S.  There are large-scale flows of manufacturedOver the past several decades, the Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) has achieved a remarkably high level of economic growth and is now the United States’ sixth-largest goods trading partner with a trillion-dollar economy. Major U.S. firms have long been leading investors, while the R.O.K.’s top firms have made significant investments in the U.S.  There are large-scale flows of manufactured goods, agricultural products, services, and technology between the two countries. R.O.K. foreign direct investment in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 2011 from $19.7 billion to $38.8 billion in 2016, making the R.O.K. the second largest Asian source of foreign direct investment into the U.S.  During President Trump’s 2017 visit to the country, R.O.K. companies announced plans to begin a series of projects in the U.S. over the next four years valued at $17.3 billion. The Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) entered into force on March 15, 2012, underscoring the depth of bilateral trade ties. In March 2018, the U.S. and the Republic of Korea reached an agreement on the renegotiation of the KORUS FTA.Collapse Bilateral Economic Relations															Read more about Bilateral Economic Relations															Integrated Country Strategies
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COVID-19 Vaccine Deliveries
Since June, 2021 the United States has donated **1,412,800** safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with the people of South Korea. This includes 1,412,800 J&J, doses. Of the 1,412,800 vaccine doses,100% were donated through bilateral agreements.

The United States is committed to leading an international and coordinated effort to accelerate access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to meet global needs. The United States is working with other governments and partners including COVAX, Caricom, and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) to protect communities from COVID-19 and apply lessons from this pandemic to enhance health security now and in the future.

Learn more about our work Delivering Vaccines and on COVID-19 Recovery.
More Vaccine Deliveries HighlightsMarch 28, 2024
Sixth United States-Republic of Korea Working Group Meeting on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Cyber Threats
March 26, 2024
Launching the U.S.-ROK Enhanced Disruption Task Force
March 20, 2024
Digital Press Briefing with Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
March 20, 2024
Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Vienna, Seoul, Manila, Jeddah, Cairo, and Tel Aviv

Trade and Investment – IPEF Supply Chain Agreement – Notification of Deposit of Instrument; Republic of Korea, March 18, 2024
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