Relocation of 6,000 American Soldiers in Seoul to Pyeongtak

Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, commander of United States Forces Korea (USFK), on Tuesday said that the U.S. Congress had promised to provide $11 billion over the next four years to strengthen the USFK`s military capacity and that he made sure that the South Korean military would also make a matching investment.

At a breakfast meeting, organized by a group of lawmakers opposed to the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Sough Korea, the commander said that strengthening the war potential of the South Korean armed forces would contribute to stability and prosperity In South Korea.

On Monday, the U.S. deputy secretary of defense, Paul D. Wolfowits, told a news conference in South Korea that given that the U.S. was trying to enhance the military capacity of the USFK, Sough Korea should also do more to strengthen its military`s posture.

Mr. LaPorte said that the U.S. had decided to relocate 6,000 out of the 7,000 American soldiers stationed in Seoul to Pyeongtaek, south Gyeonggi Province, and that there had been no decisions about redeployment for other areas.

Regarding U.S. lawmakers` report that Pyongyang had nearly finished reprocessing nuclear fuel rods after their recent trip to the North, the USFK commander said, "Though there has been some limitations to gathering information on North Korea after Pyongyang dispelled International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, the lawmakers` report differs from American intelligence."

Dong-Ki Sung esprit@donga.com