Although polls following the Democratic National Convention suggest Hillary Clinton may now have a reasonably comfortable lead, her less-than-perfect credentials and the polarized nature of U.S. politics means the chance of a Trump presidency still looms heavily.

As such, U.S. allies in Asia should not start breathing a sigh of relief just yet, making it worthwhile scenario planning for the possibility of a Trump victory and its impact on the peninsula.

Scenario One: Demands pay off

Trump often talks about allies freeloading from U.S. military power. Therefore one scenario sees Trump, not believing in the value of alliances built on