My recent visit to Washington, D.C., where I attended the Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) Conference and the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), reaffirmed both the enduring strength of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the challenges it faces. During these meetings, I spoke with senior U.S. military officials who have served in Korea. Gen. Xavier Brunson, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, United Nations Command, and Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, is one of them. Their concerns about growing differences between Seoul and Washington were unmistakable. Yet these concerns stem not from a diminishing commitment, but from their determination to preserve an alliance they have spent much of their careers defending. Over the years, I have developed close relationships with many current and former U.S. military leaders. These friendships have convinced me that the alliance rests not only on treaties and military cooperation, but also on mutual trust, shared belief and commitments. Friendship alone cannot resolve the differences. Both countries must admi