Timetable for Wartime Control Transfer to be Decided Early Next Year

Gen. B. B. Bell, commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), said Monday that he expects the timeline for the transfer of wartime command control to be decided by the first half of 2007.

“The two sides have agreed to form a joint planning task force to decide an exact timetable for the control transfer. My expectation is that this plan will be completed by the end of the first half of 2007,” Bell said during a news conference in Seoul.

“I believe there will be some outcomes including the timeline of the control transfer by the end of the first half of next year. The timeline is also important to clarify where the responsibility lies,” Bell explained.

If the USFK provides bridging capabilities to the ROK forces, the transition of command control can be carried out by 2009 or even earlier, Bell stressed. He said that that U.S. support will be focused on "air- and naval-centric" capabilities after the control transition.

In regard to Washington’s pledge to provide a nuclear umbrella, Bell emphasized, the U.S. has all the means to cope with enemy attacks against its ally South Korea in accordance with the mutual defense treaty between the two countries, and it will guarantee the "extended deterrence of a nuclear umbrella.”

In response to the South Korean Defense Ministry’s claim that the phrase "extended deterrence" can be interpreted as a detailed pledge, Bell pointed out, "The term `extended deterrence` is not a military option`s package nor does it represent a change in the nuclear umbrella commitment by the U.S."

In regard to the possibility of North Korea’s additional test, Bell said he expects North Korea to conduct another test as it has already done its first test. However, he said the reports of some foreign media claiming that South Korea and the U.S. are planning to revise a war scenario called OPLAN 5029, which includes plans for pre-emptive attacks, are groundless.

ysh1005@donga.com