USFK Unhappy With Funding Shortfall

The United States Forces Korea (USFK) has expressed strong dissatisfaction with South Korea’s reduction of financial support to the USFK.

Lt. Gen. Charles C. Campbell, USFK chief of staff and 8th Army commander, said in a press conference the USFK has decided to let go 1,000 South Korean workers and cut construction and service contracts by 20 percent over the next two years because the reduced funding makes it difficult for the USFK to afford its non-military force costs.

The non-military force costs is to maintain and support its pre-positioned wartime equipment and key wartime facilities that would be necessary in a time of emergency, the USFK explained.

Campbell said additional measures are under consideration regarding the scale of pre-positioned stocks, such as tanks, field artillery and ammunition, which will remain as needed in a time of emergency. The pre-positioned stocks refer to various types of equipment that reinforcing U.S. forces would use in a crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

He also stated that “We will be required to make tough but necessary decisions in C41 systems (command, control, communications, computers, and information), which are currently provided to South Korea`s military forces", implying that combat information for the South Korean military might be limited.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com