Such condescension may have been defensible when South Korea’s military dictatorship needed America’s political protection and security guarantee, but now the country is a beacon of democracy in East Asia. So, while South Koreans understand the need for compromise and cooperation, they believe that the time is right for a more balanced partnership.
在美韩关系的全盛时期，美国政客曾把韩国形容为“美国伸出的手臂”。如此屈尊俯就的姿态在韩国军事独裁政权需要美国给予政治保护及安全保障时或许还勉强站得住脚，可现在韩国已经成为了东亚地区的民主范例。因此尽管韩国人理解妥协与合作的重要性，但他们仍然相信现在是时候建立更加平衡的伙伴关系。