Kerry “USFK Reduction Should Not Take Place Now”

John Kerry, the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, renounced President George W. Bush’s plan to reduce one-third of U.S. troops deployed abroad, saying, “This is the wrong signal to send at the wrong time.”

Speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Cincinnati, Ohio on the morning of August 18, Kerry said as much, asking, “Why are we unilaterally withdrawing 12,000 troops from the Korean Peninsula at the very time that we are negotiating with North Korea, a country that really has nuclear weapons?" President Bush had announced his withdrawal plan in front of the same audience two days ago.

Senator Kerry had agreed to the stance that U.S. troops abroad should be reduced in the long term. Kerry’s comments this day seem to stem from the belief that even if the withdrawal or reduction of USFK takes place, it should be used as a negotiating chip in nuclear talks with North Korea or discussions of troop reduction on the Korea Peninsula.

Some democratic experts on the Korean Peninsula have argued that even if there is a USFK reduction, it must be used as leverage to cut armaments on the peninsula, including the pull-back of North Korean forces deployed on the forefront.

Kerry also quoted Republican Senator John McCain as saying, “I’m particularly concerned about moving troops out of South Korea when North Korea has probably never been more dangerous at any time since the end of the Korean War,” criticizing President Bush’s plan as “vague and hasty.”

He especially condemned the fact that “(The hasty announcement of Bush’s reduction plan) increased the international society’s doubts on the intentions and security commitment of the U.S.” He also raised questions on the effectiveness of the plan, adding, “This plan will not even begin until 2006 and will take 10 years to complete.”

Kerry pointed out that because the Bush administration’s withdrawal plan was undertaken in a unilateral manner without any consensus reached with allies, it will be difficult to earn the allies’ support in the face of an international threat in the future, stressing, “As the world has changed, the U.S. must also change its stance, for it is important to involve allies in the fight against global threats.”

In his agenda for foreign affairs and security announced in June, Kerry called for North Korea-U.S. bilateral talks to take place with the six-way talks to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. He has also revealed that he would engage in comprehensive negotiations in bilateral talks, including agendas of not only the nuclear issue but also the troop reduction on the Korean Peninsula, substitution of the armistice agreement, and the reunification of the two Koreas.

Kwon-Heui Hong konihong@donga.com