1953 saw both the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement and a Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea. The uneasy and incomplete peace, coupled with a formalized U.S.-ROK security alliance relationship, ushered in a new era on the Korean Peninsula. 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of these pivotal events. At a recent Korean Studies Colloquium, 2013–14 Koret Fellow, Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, discussed the evolution of the bilateral alliance, its challenges and achievements, and major issues.