CENTER OCCASIONAL PAPER ASIA-PACIFIC CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES HONOLULU, HAWAII MAY 1998 Executive Summary: 1998 represents the Year of the Tiger in more ways that one. South Korea, the largest of the economies hit severely by the economic crisis, is struggling to put its internal house in order and restore confidence. US political, security, and economic interests in a stable and prosperous Korea have been reaffirmed and strengthened throughout decades of a close, mutually beneficial alliance. However, the financial crisis has underscored the permeability of political, security, and economic "interests." Korean leadership is primarily responsible for managing the challenges facing its [...]