John Merill

Uncertainty remains over what President-elect Donald Trump’s policy on Korea will be in his second term. Will he pull U.S. troops out of Korea unless Seoul coughs up billions of dollars annually to pay for them? Will he resume negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un while bypassing Seoul? Or will he decide to maintain strong security ties with Korea as part of an anti-China strategy?

Contrasting clues can be found in his selection of nominees for key national posts. Trump has named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Rep. Mike Waltz from Florida as national security adviser. Both men represent the internationalist wing of the Republican Party and are regarded as strong China hawks and supporters of a defense buildup.

Rubio has dealt with Korean issues as a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has been a harsh critic of North Korea, once calling Kim a “lunatic.” He has lobbied for tougher sanctions on Pyongyang and has sought to raise pressure on its human rights record. Rubio also argued that Washington needs to maintain its defense commitment with Seoul.

Waltz, a Green Beret veteran with several tours in the Middle East and Africa,........

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