Korea's Choice in the Era of U.S.-China Supply Chain Restructuring

"The international order is undergoing a major transformation. If we continue moving by inertia as before, we cannot guarantee the survival of the Republic of Korea."

Former lawmaker Kim Hae-young, who has been active as a principled member of the Democratic Party of Korea, has taken on a new role. As chairman of Rockbridge Korea, a diplomatic, trade, and industrial think tank, he clearly presents the path Korea must choose amid U.S.-China trade conflicts.

In an interview with Segye Ilbo, Chairman Kim emphasized, "The Republic of Korea benefits most from its self-strengthening when working together with the United States," adding, "Excluding semiconductors, China has surpassed us in almost every sector, so there's nothing to gain from cooperation."

Rockbridge Network: A Political Network of Trump's Inner Circle

The parent organization of Rockbridge Korea, Rockbridge Network, is a political and personal network that originated in the United States. It was established by key figures including U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, political theorist Chris Buskirk, and Silicon Valley's Peter Thiel, with deep involvement from Donald Trump Jr., son of President Donald Trump.

At the request of the U.S. Rockbridge Network, Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, among others, joined the board of directors to launch Rockbridge Korea in October last year. Korea is the first country after the United States to establish a Rockbridge organization, with Japan, Taiwan, India, and Brazil also preparing to launch their own chapters.

Chairman Kim stated, "We will invite key figures from the Trump administration and the U.S. political and business sectors to hear directly how America views Northeast Asia, and create opportunities to convey our opinions without misunderstanding."

Building an Irreplaceable Position Through MASGA and Semiconductors

Chairman Kim emphasizes the need to create an "irreplaceable position" in situations like the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations. The strategic leverage he proposes includes:

1. MASGA Cooperation in Shipbuilding
Korea's shipbuilding technology is essential to the MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) policy. Recently, cooperation in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) has also been strengthening.

2. Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology
Korea's world-leading semiconductor manufacturing sector is the area the U.S. needs most for containing China.

3. Mineral Resource Cooperation
The mineral resource sector, where cooperation with the U.S. is beginning, is also an important pillar of supply chain restructuring.

Chairman Kim noted, "Korea can maximize its national power by becoming 'a player whose replacement would cause significant inconvenience,'" adding, "It's important for the government to minimize burdens on companies, and for private organizations like Rockbridge Korea to effectively communicate the situation of Korean companies."

Core Technology Leakage Is the Bottom Line

Regarding Korea's bottom line in trade negotiations, Chairman Kim identified preventing core technology leakage.

"We must be very careful about sharing core technologies in industries where we have competitiveness. For example, in shipbuilding cooperation, we need to be quite cautious about converting the know-how of skilled workers into artificial intelligence (AI)."

The concern is that if core elements leak out, Korea's position and role within the supply chain could be diminished.

Relations with China: Focus on Management

He took a cautious stance on the possibility of improving relations with China.

"The current U.S.-China conflict is virtually a state of war. As the international order is being reorganized around supply chains, Korea belongs to the supply chain with the United States, so active cooperation beyond consumer goods, tourism, healthcare, and culture is structurally difficult."

Chairman Kim emphasized that "focusing on managing relations with China to prevent further deterioration is realistic," with priority given to strengthening Korea's position within the U.S.-centered supply chain.

Cooperation with Japan: Starting with Youth Exchange

In contrast, he showed a proactive attitude toward cooperation with Japan.

"Although there are issues such as historical matters, at this point there are many similarities in the realities facing Korea and Japan, and there are many areas beneficial to both countries in economics and security."

As a specific measure, Chairman Kim proposed a 'Youth Green Card' system. The idea is that allowing young people from both countries to work freely in each other's countries could greatly contribute to improving Korea-Japan relations.

He also emphasized Korea-Japan solidarity in the power sector, which is essential for the AI industry. "Despite being geographically close, Korea and Japan are like islands when it comes to electricity. It would be good to start discussing solidarity and integration in energy sectors such as electricity from now on."

Positive Assessment of Lee Jae-myung Government's Diplomacy

Chairman Kim also evaluated President Lee Jae-myung's diplomacy.

"The fact that President Lee Jae-myung lacks ideological rigidity has proven to be an advantage in conducting diplomacy. I think he has performed well so far in diplomacy with the U.S., China, and Japan."

However, regarding foreign policy, he advised, "It's important that restrained opinions are conveyed," adding, "It's important for the government and ruling party to coordinate opinions well in advance so that a somewhat unified voice emerges."

The Role of Rockbridge Korea

On the 14th, Rockbridge Korea's board of directors, including Chairman Kim, had dinner with Rockbridge Network founder Buskirk.

"We heard about the founding purpose and objectives of Rockbridge Network and shared important situations regarding Korea's economy and industry. It was an occasion to discuss working well together between Korea and the U.S."

Chairman Kim emphasized that Rockbridge Korea "prioritizes the interests of the Republic of Korea as a Korean public interest foundation, and plays a role in accurately conveying Korea's position to U.S. Rockbridge Network figures without misunderstanding."

The core mission of Rockbridge Korea is to serve as a bridge for exchanges between Korean government and business figures and key figures in the Trump administration.