Rumsfeld Departure Won’t Affect Korea

Officials in the Department of Defense as well as sources in Washington predict that despite the resignation of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, issues concerning the readjustment of the ROK-U.S. alliance, such as the relocation of U.S troops and the transfer of wartime operational control, will be largely unchanged.

Once source commented, “The fundamentals of the wartime control transfer and the dismantlement of the Combined Forces Command are not alterable. However, the timing of the transfer, which was controversial, might be adjusted once the new secretary takes the post and gets to work.”

Another authority said, “Since the direct cause of his resignation was the war in Iraq, there won’t be significant changes in the U.S.-Korea alliance readjustment. As the Global Defense Posture Review, which was Rumsfeld’s pet project, is already making substantial progress, restructuring, including the reduction of U.S. troops in South Korea, will continue.”

In spite of Rumsfeld’s resignation, Richard Lawless, deputy defense undersecretary for Asia and Pacific affairs, has been promoted to assistant secretary, and it seems very likely that he will continue to take charge of issues concerning the ROK-U.S. military alliance. This was realized because Pentagon has recently decided to advance the rank of the head of East Asian and Pacific affairs bureau into an assistant secretary. Of course, it is possible that the new secretary might have different thoughts or that Congress might disapprove of the current policies, but the chances seem slim.

It has also been reported that the Korea country director in the Defense Department, Michael Finnegan, who has been dealing with affairs between Korea and America, will soon transfer to the Joint Forces Staff College.

sechepa@donga.com