The Korea-U.S. alliance remains the cornerstone of security on the Korean Peninsula and a vital pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific. Yet a series of disputes over tariffs, investment, trade regulation and burden-sharing is raising concerns about the direction of the relationship. These tensions should not be allowed to undermine an alliance that has served both countries well for more than seven decades. Recent remarks by a senior U.S. diplomat that relations between Washington and Seoul are unusually strained should be taken seriously. What is particularly concerning is the possibility that disagreements over trade and investment are beginning to spill into security cooperation. Traditionally, the two allies have managed to separate economic disputes from their shared commitment to deterrence. Preserving that distinction is increasingly important. The issue is not whether Korea should strengthen its ties with the United States. It should — and is committed to doing so. The question is how to build an alliance that is resilient because both sides regard it as mutually beneficial,