Support for U.S Troops Stationed in Korea

President Roh Moo-hyun said on April 19: “The purpose of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea is to achieve self-defense capabilities against North Korea, not to make up for the country`s defense capabilities itself.” He added that in the future the country needs to boost its defense capabilities in order to be fully responsible for its own defense and that relations with U.S troops should be cooperative.

“Despite all the efforts so far, I don`t know what to say about the question of whether South Korea is capable of defending itself,” said President Roh in a meeting with newly promoted Korean military officers at the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae.

“There is a strong need for U.S troops, and I agree on that,” stated Mr. Roh. “The purpose of U.S. forces stationed here has been to deter North Korea`s aggression. But in the future it will be to promote regional stability in Northeast Asia. Therefore, the two militaries should cooperate on equal footing based on South Korea`s self-sufficient defense posture.”

The president also said that people feel uneasy, and politicians are agitated over talk of redeployment and decreasing the number of U.S forces. “We should change the nation`s capabilities for defense, as changes in the status of U.S. forces is causing apprehension among those in the general public,” he added.

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com