Since the concurrent launch of the Biden administration and the 117th U.S. Congress in January, the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government have been fairly united in their assessment of the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance and how to approach Seoul as an equal partner.

Yet in spite of this unity, a contrast with preceding years, Washington must nevertheless still contend with discrepancies between South Korea and the U.S. over North Korea policy.

The Biden administration has increasingly fielded demands from U.S. policymakers to strengthen sanctions in response to North Korea’s repeated missile launches, even amid developments