노무현 정부 들어 그 어느 때보다 한미관계에 대한 다양한 목소리가 나타나고 있다. 한미관계의 오늘은 지난 한미관계사의 철저한 반영이라고 할 수 있다. 한미관계는 국가자율성을 양보하고 안보를 확보하는 교환동맹의 좋은 보기가 될 만큼 비대칭적인 관계였다. 군사적인 측면에서 한국은 지금도 미국에 의지하는 측면이 크다. 그러나 주한미군의 비중은 점진적으로 감소해 왔고, 지난 94년에는 평시작전권을 한국군이 환수했으며, 전시작전권도 2012년 4월 17일 한국측에 이양하기로 한미가 이미 합의했다. 한국의 국가자율성은 그동안 꾸준히 신장했고, 이는 한미동맹의 변화를 동반하고 있다. 노무현 정부 들어 적극 추진된 전시작전권 환수는 이러한 변화된 한미관계를 단적으로 보여주는 것이라고 볼 수 있다. 본 논문은 이렇게 변화의 길을 걸어온 한미관계사를 국제관계 이론에 기반해 구성한 이론적인 틀로 분석했다. 이 글은 먼저 약소국-강대국을 관찰하는 이론을 종속모델(dependency model), 현실주의적 영향 모델(realist influence model), 자유주의적 영향 모델(liberal influence model)로 나눈다. 이를 바탕으로 대한민국 건국 이후의 한미관계를 구분한다. 이승만과 박정희 정권 초기까지는 종속모델이 적용되는 시기이다. 또, 박정희 정권 중·후반과 전두환, 노태우, 김영삼 정권까지는 현실주의적인 영향(realistic influence)을 어느 정도 실현한 시기라고 볼 수 있다. 한국이 갖고 있는 자원을 이용해 미국에 영향을 줬다. 그리고 김대중 정권 이후는 자유주의적인 영향(liberal influence)의 관계로 발전된 시기라고 할 수 있다. 미국과의 잦고 긴밀한 협의가 어느 정도 규범화되는 모습을 보였고, 이를 바탕으로 미국에 대해 영향을 미친 시기이다. 다시 말해 현대의 한미관계사는 종속의 단계에서 자유주의적인 영향의 관계를 향해 진행해 왔다고 할 수 있다.

In terms of South Korea-U.S. relations, there are more various opinions than ever before under the Roh Moo-hyun government. Today's South Korea-U.S. relations reflect the past of the relations. The South Korea-U.S. alliance was a good example of the autonomy-security trade-off model; the U.S. provided the security commitment, while South Korea limited its autonomy vis-a-vis the U.S. South Korea still depends upon the U.S. as long as national security is concerned. However, U.S. troops on the Korean peninsula have decreased and the peace-time control command was returned to the South Korean government in 1994, the war-time control command is supposed to be returned in April 2012. South Korean national autonomy has been enlarged and thus the nature of the South Korea-U.S alliance has changed. The agreement on the transition of the war-time control command indicated the change without reserve. The modern history of South Korea-U.S. relations can be categorized into three periods: the periods of dependency, realist influence and liberal influence. They are based on dependency, realist influence and liberal influence model respectively. Dependency model applies to the Syngman Rhee regime and the early part of the Park Chung-hee government which relied on the U.S. politically as well as economically. Realist influence model refers to the later part of the Park government and the Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and Kim Young-sam government which tried to affect the U.S. foreign policy by taking advantage of their assets. Liberal influence model explains the diplomacy of the Kim Dae-jung and the present Roh Moo-hyun government which tends to influence the U.S. by establishing consultation norms and transnational coalitions. The Kim Dae-jung government, in particular, was effective in making its opinions reflected in U.S. foreign policy by conducting close consultations on various levels. In sum, it can be argued that the modern history of South Korea-U.S. relations has developed from dependency to liberal influence if it is analyzed from the perspective of South Korean influence on the U.S.

In terms of South Korea-U.S. relations, there are more various opinions than ever before under the Roh Moo-hyun government. Today's South Korea-U.S. relations reflect the past of the relations. The South Korea-U.S. alliance was a good example of the autonomy-security trade-off model; the U.S. provided the security commitment, while South Korea limited its autonomy vis-a-vis the U.S. South Korea still depends upon the U.S. as long as national security is concerned. However, U.S. troops on the Korean peninsula have decreased and the peace-time control command was returned to the South Korean government in 1994, the war-time control command is supposed to be returned in April 2012. South Korean national autonomy has been enlarged and thus the nature of the South Korea-U.S alliance has changed. The agreement on the transition of the war-time control command indicated the change without reserve. The modern history of South Korea-U.S. relations can be categorized into three periods: the periods of dependency, realist influence and liberal influence. They are based on dependency, realist influence and liberal influence model respectively. Dependency model applies to the Syngman Rhee regime and the early part of the Park Chung-hee government which relied on the U.S. politically as well as economically. Realist influence model refers to the later part of the Park government and the Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and Kim Young-sam government which tried to affect the U.S. foreign policy by taking advantage of their assets. Liberal influence model explains the diplomacy of the Kim Dae-jung and the present Roh Moo-hyun government which tends to influence the U.S. by establishing consultation norms and transnational coalitions. The Kim Dae-jung government, in particular, was effective in making its opinions reflected in U.S. foreign policy by conducting close consultations on various levels. In sum, it can be argued that the modern history of South Korea-U.S. relations has developed from dependency to liberal influence if it is analyzed from the perspective of South Korean influence on the U.S.

South Korea-U.S. relations, Dependency Model, Realist Influence Model, Liberal Influence Model, Consultation Norms