The Reduction in the U.S. Armed Forces to be Discussed with Roh Administration

Donald Rumsfeld, the United States Secretary of Defense, clarified on 13th that upon the opening of the new administration in Korea, the United States will officially discuss the rearrangement and reduction issues of the United States Armed Forces stationed in Korea, thus formulated the possibility of the reduction of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in Korea for the first time.

On this day, Donald Rumsfeld attended the hearing of the Executive Military Assembly and stated the above answer the to question, “Are you reexamining he necessary rearrangement of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in Korea, German, and the like?”

“When the new administration comes in power in Korea, we’d like to start having more official discussions on plans of centralizing our Air Force and Marine military power by reducing the military size in Seoul and the demilitarized zones by large amount as well as the returning of the portion of the military power through improvement on the military power mobility but on the grounds of still guaranteeing the protection of the Korean Peninsula,” stated Donald Rumsfeld.

He also clarified, “The rearrangement of the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea can be reexamined with the cooperation of the Korean government. We’ve accepted the proposal of the new President of Korea on reexamining and adjusting the relationship between the United States and Korea.”

“We already have been reexamining the issue on our side and the General Commander of the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea, Leon Rupert, has been studying the problem for months already”, Donald Rumsfel added.

The Nihon Geizai Newspaper of Japan reported on 14th that the U.S. is reexamining the reorganization plan of strengthening the mobility by introducing the newest weapons to arrange the military power of the Air Force and the Navy in other positions than Korea in replacement of the reduction in the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea.

The newspaper also reported that the United States government is planning to request a conference to Korea when the Security Team gets formed after the inauguration of Roh, Moo-Hyun, the President-Elect, takes place on 25th as well as having a goal to prepare a foundation of the reorganization before the annual Security Council Meeting between the United States and Korea takes place in December.

The newspaper pointed out that the reasons of the United States starting the reexamination of the reorganization in the United States Armed Forces in Korea in the midst of North Korea’s nuclear crisis has some relation to the threat of North Korea and the spreading anti-Americanism in South Korea.

The Foreign Affairs of Japan clarified on 14th that Japanese government is planning to request an explanation from the United States government in regards to the statements made by the Secretary of Defense, Rumsfeld. The informant also included that “There is a big attention on the subject since there is a possibility of increasing the United States Armed Forces stationed in Okinawa and more places of Japan if the reduction of the Armed Forces in Korea occurs.”

Prior to these reports, the Washington Times reported, “The anti-Americanism within South Korea can’t be seen as general and typical. According to a survey of the public opinion, it showed that about 75% of Koreans still agree to the stationing of the United States Armed Forces.”

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