Perhaps SKorea just hasn't had the opportunity to prove itself. Their military is quite impressive--without American bodies held hostage at the border, the SKoreans must mature.
Now, this is interesting. For one thing, it's their problem to deal with, and the reason that they don't deal with it is that they expect us to, because we have for the past fifty years. Go do a google on SK's military--it's not at all shabby. That's why they could have helped out a little with Iraq, IMO.
Do you see the parallel with Little Junior, and Dad?
Does it occur to you that if we can kick Kim's behind, what's to stop us from kicking SK's and Japan's to do the job for themselves?