South Korea was rebuilt with the class that collaborated with the Japanese and it prospered through the Vietnam War in the similar way Japan revived its industries in the Korean War, reversing US policy that wanted it merely to make party hats and other trivia. If you talk to North and South Koreans there is the same cynicism about their governments and a dislike of the American presence. King Il Sung was very much respected but not his son and grandson. if the Americans withdrew from South Korea without losing too much face, it would probably be highly beneficial. They are bitterly resented in the north for splitting the country in two in 1945 by abolishing the unity government, preventing elections the communists would have easily won, wrecking land reform, intervening in what the north regarded as a civil war 1950-53, helping to crush peasant risings, having a perpetual hissy fit for not winning the Korean War, and bolstering a corrupt semi-fascist regime in South Korea into the 1980's. Even top US commentators believe that if the Americans (UN) had not intervened, the country would have been unified under communist rule and then mellowed achieving a general level of prosperity not as high as South Korea but similar to China. And you should have a long hard look at how South Korean MP's get elected and what happens to young people who say "Hey, let's talk to North Korea." Want to bea school teacher? Great - hand over the $30,000 first and we will give you a position." "You want a holiday and dislike working in the evenings and be on call at weekends? For such disloyalty you will never be promoted." "Sexual harassment by the boss? What's that?" And South Korea has the highest percentage of alcohol consumption.