The head of the U.S. Congress' Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security is expected to emphasize the ROK-U.S. alliance.

With the U.S. Democratic Party's victory in the midterm elections, it is expected that many people who understand the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance will serve as chairpersons of the standing committees in charge of foreign affairs and security in the Senate and House of Representatives.

In a situation where Korea, like other allies, is likely to be hit by a stray bullet amid President Donald Trump's move to continue one-way traffic regardless of the crushing defeat, it can be seen that some level of control has been established at the congressional level.

However, there are still concerns that the power of Congress to control the president's monopoly is limited and that the Democratic Party's foreign policy may come into conflict with Korea's interests.

The standing committees in the U.S. Congress that have a relatively direct influence on Korea are the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Military Committee.

Democratic Party lawmaker Chris Coons, who won his fourth term in this midterm election, is likely to become chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Originally, the Democratic Party's ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee was Rep. Gene Shaheen, but he announced that he would not run in this midterm election.

Representative Coons visited Korea several times with fellow senators, and in September of last year, he met President Lee Jae-myung, who visited the United States in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

He is also the ranking member of the Democratic Party of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's East Asia, Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy Subcommittee. He is a person with a clear understanding of the East Asian region and the ROK-US alliance, as he announced his stance against it when it was reported that a reduction of US troops stationed in Korea was being considered during the first Trump administration.

Representative Jack Reed, who currently serves as the ranking member of the Democratic Party, is certain to become chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Rep. Reed has already served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee from 2021 to 2024, so he is a person who knows better than anyone else the Trump administration's military issues, such as pressure on defense cost sharing and the possibility of adjusting the role of U.S. troops stationed in Korea.

Rep. Reed also publicly criticized President Trump in August when he ordered a sharp reduction in joint military exercises between Korea and the United States, saying, "If President Trump reduces joint training to flatter a dictator or punishes Korea for not joining the war he started, both our allies and enemies will think that America's pledges are negotiable."

The House Foreign Affairs and Military Committees are also expected to be headed by pro-Korean figures who have already served as chairs of the respective standing committees.

Representative Gregory Meeks, currently the ranking member of the Democratic Party, is likely to become chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

He is a person who clearly recognizes the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance, under the belief that the U.S. will prosper based on cooperation with its allies. When he was elected as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2020, he said, "Korea now has a friend in the U.S. House of Representatives who is grateful for the ROK-U.S. alliance."

This is different from the fact that it was not easy to approach Republican Rep. Brian Mast, who currently serves as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as he had little contact with Korea.

Rep. Adam Smith, who previously held this position, is also expected to return as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

He is a person who publicly criticized President Trump for pressuring Korea to share five times the defense cost, saying that excessive demands for defense cost sharing could cause unnecessary tension in the alliance. He has been vocal in emphasizing the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance, including the role of U.S. forces stationed in Korea.

The position of chairman of the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to go to Rep. Ami Bera, the so-called ranking member of the Democratic Party. Currently, the subcommittee chair is Republican Rep. Young Kim, who is of Korean descent.

Rep. Vera is a close friend of Korea who has generally shown cooperative actions on Korea-related issues within the U.S. Congress.

In an interview with Yonhap News last April, he expressed an optimistic outlook regarding Korea's introduction of nuclear-powered submarines and expansion of Korea's authority to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel, saying, "I think Congress will also support it."

It is positive that people with a deep understanding of the ROK-U.S. alliance are assigned to key positions in the U.S. Congress's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security, but it is unclear whether Korea's interests will be actively reflected.

First of all, if President Trump's arbitrary actions after his crushing defeat in the midterm elections spark a fire in Korea, there is an expectation that he will be able to serve as a reminder of the importance of the ROK-US alliance at the Congressional level and put a brake on the runaway.

However, because the president has considerable discretion in the field of foreign affairs and security, Congress does not have the means to immediately stop President Trump if he begins to pressure allies in a reckless manner.

The Democratic Party, which is opposed to many of the policies and measures implemented by the Trump administration, is also considering establishing relations with Korea with an emphasis on keeping China in check. In addition, the variable is that lawmakers have no choice but to look at public opinion in their constituencies.

This is why the Democratic Party's control of Congress can have an advantage or disadvantage on various issues, such as whether to block the reduction of U.S. forces in Korea or expand their role, the introduction of nuclear submarines in Korea, the construction of U.S. warships in Korea, and the transfer of wartime operational control.

The Democratic Party is also critical of President Trump's intention to resume North Korea-US dialogue. It is expected that they will demand strengthened sanctions against North Korea, criticize North Korea's human rights situation, and take a negative stance on President Trump's approach to North Korea.

In the House Judiciary Committee, Republican Chairman Jim Jordan, who was leading the public opinion that the Korean government discriminates against American companies through Coupang, resigned.

There is a possibility that the level of pressure on the Korean government at the level of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee will decrease. However, Chairman Jordan, a close loyalist of President Trump, has submitted his candidacy for the position of Republican Party leader and is challenging current floor leader Steve Scalise.