How to manage a US alliance: what Canberra and Seoul can learn from each otherWhile South Korea and Australia occupy distinct strategic positions in the Indo-Pacific, they share a common security foundation: decades of alliance management under the United States. South Korea’s experience underscores the value of deep operational integration with US forces. Australia and South Korea demonstrate the necessity of managing alliances through a balance of embeddedness and adaptability. Adaptability—maintained through diversified partnerships, global engagement and proactive capability development—ensures resilience in the face of US policy fluctuations and the evolving Indo-Pacific strategic order. South Korea can benefit from adopting elements of Australia’s outward-looking strategic engagement, while Australia can learn from South Korea’s experience in operational integration and alliance negotiation.