Does South Korea Take a Hard Left Turn Against America?

The phrase comes from a June 1, 2026, Wall Street Journal opinion piece co-authored by Nicholas Eberstadt and Lawrence Peck. The Core Arguments is that South Korea is turning against the US rest on several specific points raised by conservative critics. 1) Mid-South Middle East Stance: Observers point to ideological clashes, such as Seoul criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza, maintaining diplomatic outreach to Iran, and not fully aligning with US-led maritime efforts in the Middle East. 2) Dispu