Plans to Discuss Periodical Adjustment of Reduction of U.S. Forces

It was reported that the government will hold a tenth FOTA (Future of the Alliance) talks with the U.S. sometime during the next month to discuss the relocation of the Yongsan U.S. military base and the re-deployment negotiation of the U.S. 2nd division. For this end, the government will hold a special conference with the U.S. late this month or early next month, and is planning to discuss the reduction of the U.S. forces stationed in Korea in addition to adjusting the size of the relocation base of the U.S. forces in Korea.

The substantial representative of the “three-man commission for the re-adjustment negotiation of U.S. Forces in Korea” Kim Suk, also the director-general of the Foreign Ministry`s North American affairs bureau, met with reporters on June 9 and was quoted as giving the aforementioned statement, and added, “The negotiation to relocate the Yongsan base should not extend until next year. The next FOTA talks will be our time limit.”

Furthermore, he stated, “We hoped to negotiate this issue during the ninth FOTA talks held on June 7-8; however, we needed time to verify the scale of the re-deployment base of the U.S. Forces in Korea as the U.S. reported the ‘proposal for the reduction of U.S. Forces in Korea’ on June 6, only a day before the negotiation.”

In relation to this matter, during his officiating briefing this day, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon also stated, “In case the FOTA fails to reach a conclusion on the matter of the scale of the base during the U.S.-Korea special conference, with the three-man commission at its center, it is possible that the scale and period of the reduction of U.S. Forces in Korea will be negotiated, if necessary.”

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com