The U.S.-South Korean military alliance is a far stronger position than in recent years due to South Korean military actions and American political actions. Seoul implemented extensive, improvements to its defense posture, augmented defense spending, and addressed military deficiencies. The Biden administration returned to a traditional, bipartisan U.S. view of alliances and abandoned President Donald Trump’s insulting language and threats to reduce U.S. troop levels if the U.S. didn’t make a profit off the stationing of America’s military personnel stationed overseas. The United States and South Korea have similar views on the security threats that both countries face, but clearly disagree on the policies to address them. There are notable differences between Washington and Seoul regarding an end-of-war declaration, wartime operational control (OPCON) transition, North Korean policy, an expanded South Korean security role of the Indo-Pacific, and improving South Korean-Japanese relations. The Moon administration has called for reducing UN and U.S. sanctions, signing an end-of-war declaration, and providing additional concessions to North Korea simply to induce the regime back to the negotiating table. Instead, the Biden administration has affirmed a willingness for dialogue and providing benefits in return for negotiated reciprocal measures. The Biden administration, however, has sought to downplay these differences, in part, so that they don’t become a political issue during South Korea’s upcoming presidential election in March 2022. Washington and Seoul papered over policy differences in the May 2021 summit statement and Security Consultative Meeting. U.S. policymakers will need to balance maintaining allied resolve against the growing North Korean and Chinese threats with preventing discord with its critically important ally. Washington will seek to overcome South Korean resistance to playing a large role in defending common values and international law in the Indo-Pacific region.