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China-Japan-Koreas

Seoul hints at ending US control over army

2005-10-02

SEOUL: President Roo Moo-hyun gave a strong indication on Saturday that he plans to end the United States' right to control South Korea's armed forces in case of war, a source of lingering resentment here. Roh, elected on a wave of anti-American sentiment in December 2002, made the remarks at a ceremony to celebrate the armed forces' 57th anniversary.

"The recently announced military reform programme reflects our determination to achieve independence in defence capability. When completed, this reform will transform our armed forces into advanced, crack units," Roh said. "It will be reborn as independent armed forces that fit its name and reality as well, especially by exercising our own wartime operational control," he added. Under a controversial 1950 accord, operational control over South Korea's 680,000-strong armed forces would be exercised by the commander of US troops stationed in South Korea in case of an armed conflict.

The recovery of the wartime operational rights, handed to US military authorities during the Korean War, is seen by many South Koreans as a matter of national sovereignty. South Korea last month unveiled a military reform programme highlighted by a 26 percent cut in troops to 500,000 by 2020 and a drastic increase in fire-power.

Posted by:Fred

#6 Once we've concluded the agreement with the Norks and verified it, it's time to cut the South Koreans loose. Pull out all of our troops and wish them a 'nice day'.

Posted by: DMFD 2005-10-02 15:56

#5 they didn't mind us building their army thoough did they

Posted by: Uninetle Hupating2229 2005-10-02 15:08

#4 Fine, but do they have to be so rude about it?

Posted by: trailing wife 2005-10-02 15:06

#3 A little clarification boys. The US had control of the Combined Field Command (CFC), something like a corps size organization. The US portion was the entire 2nd Infantry Division along with some corps level assets. Now that the 2nd has drawn down, with one brigade home based at Fort Lewis, WA and more to redeploy out of Korea soon, it seems a wee bit over board to insist that the US remain in control of such organizations. It would be like the foreign coalition units in Iraq insisting that while they're only a brigade or battalion attached to a division, they should command the division. Doesn't work that way. As I understand the plan, the US forces were suppose to be disengaged from the DMZ work and repositioned into more reserve location/status anyway. Since it is a matter of fact, that the South Koreans suffered far greater casualties in the last Korean War and are likely to bear an incredible burden of the next, I for one have nothing negative to say about this long over due update of reality of who is doing the yeoman's work in the defense of South Korea in the conventional force structure. Just need to tell them, good luck guys.

Posted by: Glomorong Ebbeting2205 2005-10-02 08:02

#2 dittos, Mr./Mrs. W Spiting.

Posted by: Dawg 2005-10-02 01:53

#1 If N Korea stays weaked and they can do it alone, more power to them.

If they can't, f*k em.

Posted by: Whush Spiting3848 2005-10-02 01:39

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