[Editorial] Appalling Reductions in USFK Will Only Hurt Korea-U.S. Alliance

Recent ominous press reports say that personnel reductions in the U.S. Forces in Korea will take place on a massive scale soon. At the first round of talks on cuts in the USFK, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless made a shocking suggestion that the U.S. will pull about 12,500 military personnel out of Korea by November of 2005. It was, in effect, a unilateral “notification.”

First things first, we have to express our regret about the U.S. decision which appears to have come with little consideration about Korea’s special security condition. The Korean peninsula is the most vulnerable region in the world when it comes to security. Although the U.S. has committed $11 billion to strengthening its military might on the peninsula, it would not be the right thing to do for a 50-year-old ally to unilaterally pull its troops out of the potentially conflict region.

More of the blame should be placed with the Korean government. It has said the reductions in the USFK will gradually start in 2007 as late as last week. In his speech at a memorial-day ceremony, President Roh reiterated the need for a multi-national security alliance, a remote geopolitical possibility for North East Asia. Did the lackadaisical posturing by the government regarding the most important issue of the Korea-U.S. alliance, and the USFK, lead to a fiasco today?

The government should immediately bring about the measure to minimize the repercussions the cuts will cause. It should explain in detail how it will pursue an independent defense strategy, how it will stop the adverse effects the cuts will cause on the country’s credit ratings, and how much room for maneuver it has in its future negotiations with the U.S. about the reductions. What is more urgent and more fundamental is that the government should finally face up to the reality of the Korea-U.S. alliance and get out of the maze of pursuing a “clumsy independent line.”

And, if it respects the Korea-U.S. alliance, then the U.S. should put into consideration the Korean people’s concerns and should not be assertive about the scope and timing of the reductions.