Cutting-edge U.S. Informational Forces Will Remain In Korea

The Chief of Staff of the Korea-U.S. Joint Forces’ Command, Lieutenant General Charles Campbell, stated on May 25 that “although the numbers of U.S. Forces in Korea are to be reduced, the cutting-edge informational forces such as the 501st Informational Brigade and 1st Communication Brigade, and troops necessary for the Korean Peninsula as a battle ground in wartime such as the troops protecting war preparation materials, those which are already deployed in advance, and missile defense troops will remain.”

At a press conference on this day held by Chief of Staff Campbell, who also holds the seat of U.S. 8th Army Commander concurrently, he announced what was stated above.

As for the question: “Excluding the 2nd Infantry Division that is to be sent to Iraq, are the numbers of U.S. army troops in Korea going to be reduced more?” he explained that “I’ve just mentioned it to deny the rumors of additional reduction of the U.S. troops in Korea. Absolutely, it does not mean the entire exodus of U.S. Forces from Korea.”

“The alliance between Korea and U.S. can be judged by the robust existence of the Korea-U.S. Joint Forces’ Command, and the amount of troops and powers of weapons; those which are to be reinforced in case of a brand-new Korean War breaking out have become enormously powerful compared with those of fifty years before,” he added.

Campbell said that “Korean Forces can be currently regarded as world-class military forces fitted with superlative war potentials. In terms of defending the Korean peninsula, Korean Forces will have steadily attained superiority over the North Korean Forces.”

The troops to protect war preparation materials that have been dispatched in advance the Chief of Staff Campbell mentioned in his speech will play the role of connecting Korean Forces to urgently dispatched troops numbering 700,000 from the United States in terms of logistics operations. That is, the statement of Campbell can be assessed as the intention of the U.S., in spite of the reduction of U.S. Forces in Korea, to abide by the 700,000-troop reinforcement operation plan in emergent situations.

In addition, his disclosure of maintaining cutting-edge informational forces in Korea such as the 1st Communication Brigade and the 501st Informational Brigade has confirmed the unchanged informational communication and chain of command system of the Korea-U.S. joint forces established for the sake of stability on the Korean peninsula.

Ho-Won Choi bestiger@donga.com