S. Korean Government Tries, Fails to Postpone USFK-ROK Exercises

What good is an Army that can’t train out of fear of offending the enemy?

“Since the end of last year, some in the government have been adamant that the RSOI and Foal Eagle drills must be postponed and have talked to the USFK about the issue,” a government source said Monday. “They judged that North Korea was likely to be sensitive to the joint drills to the point where that would impede progress in dialogue between the two Koreas.

But the sources say USFK leaders would not accept political considerations as a valid motive for delaying the long-scheduled drills, and since many in the Korean military also felt the suggestion was unreasonable, the government last Friday decided to abandon the plan and go ahead as if it never existed. It could not be confirmed on Monday whether the initiative came from the National Security Council or the Unification Ministry, both of which tend to be considerate of North Korean sensitivities.

Meanwhile, the North Koreans have upped their own training cycles, apparently buying fuel with the money they saved by cutting back on corn, fertilizer, and powdered milk. Apparently, reciprocity in the consideration of such things is too much to ask for in today’s appeasement-addled South Korea. If they’re stationed at Ft. Lewis, of course, you never need Kim Jong Il’s permission to train them to U.S. Army standards.