Search Results for: The Death of an Alliance

Roh Moo-Hyun’s official mouthpiece, Cho Ki-sook, isn’t happy about all that media disinformation about trouble in the U.S.-Korea alliance. “It is totally improper to argue that President Roh Moo-hyun has been attempting to divide the nation between forces supporting the U.S. and opposing it,” Cho said during a media briefing at Chong Wa Dae. Cho made the remark amid mounting criticism by major papers over President Roh’s statement on relations between Seoul and Washington while he was making a state...

Roh Moo-Hyun’s official mouthpiece, Cho Ki-sook, isn’t happy about all that media disinformation about trouble in the U.S.-Korea alliance. “It is totally improper to argue that President Roh Moo-hyun has been attempting to divide the nation between forces supporting the U.S. and opposing it,” Cho said during a media briefing at Chong Wa Dae. Cho made the remark amid mounting criticism by major papers over President Roh’s statement on relations between Seoul and Washington while he was making a state...

Roh Moo-Hyun’s official mouthpiece, Cho Ki-sook, isn’t happy about all that media disinformation about trouble in the U.S.-Korea alliance. “It is totally improper to argue that President Roh Moo-hyun has been attempting to divide the nation between forces supporting the U.S. and opposing it,” Cho said during a media briefing at Chong Wa Dae. Cho made the remark amid mounting criticism by major papers over President Roh’s statement on relations between Seoul and Washington while he was making a state...

The Korea Herald reports on some fairly earth-shaking changes in U.S. Army aviation assets in Korea: The 17th Aviation brigade will be deactivated. The 17th–one of my old client units–is one of the largest aviation units in Korea, and probably the major helo transport asset. I’mlooking at one of their coins right now. The article mentioned a cut of 200 troops, which sounds like a gross underestimate. Whatever’s left of the 17th will be put under the 6th Cav, which...

South Korea has summarily withdrawn its cooperation from OPLAN 5029, the contingency plan for North Korean collapse, and from other joint contingency planning for natural disasters and WMD recovery. The South Korean decision removes one of the U.S.-Korean alliance’s last remaining raisons d’etre. The Joongang Ilbo reports: South Korea’s National Security Council said in a statement yesterday, “We have terminated the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command’s efforts to map out a plan, code named 5029, because the plan could be...

The Korea Herald reports on some fairly earth-shaking changes in U.S. Army aviation assets in Korea: The 17th Aviation brigade will be deactivated. The 17th–one of my old client units–is one of the largest aviation units in Korea, and probably the major helo transport asset. I’mlooking at one of their coins right now. The article mentioned a cut of 200 troops, which sounds like a gross underestimate. Whatever’s left of the 17th will be put under the 6th Cav, which...

South Korea has summarily withdrawn its cooperation from OPLAN 5029, the contingency plan for North Korean collapse, and from other joint contingency planning for natural disasters and WMD recovery. The South Korean decision removes one of the U.S.-Korean alliance’s last remaining raisons d’etre. The Joongang Ilbo reports: South Korea’s National Security Council said in a statement yesterday, “We have terminated the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command’s efforts to map out a plan, code named 5029, because the plan could be...

All I can really say is, uhhhhhhh: Korea and the U.S. have decided to divide the future security environment on the Korean Peninsula into three or four levels including full unification and use them to draw up a new blueprint for their military alliance. The Defense Ministry said Monday the two nations agreed to the plan in principle. Pending confirmation, the levels include “reconciliation and cooperation”, “peace and coexistence” and “unification.” The new-look military alliance will be unveiled by the...

All I can really say is, uhhhhhhh: Korea and the U.S. have decided to divide the future security environment on the Korean Peninsula into three or four levels including full unification and use them to draw up a new blueprint for their military alliance. The Defense Ministry said Monday the two nations agreed to the plan in principle. Pending confirmation, the levels include “reconciliation and cooperation”, “peace and coexistence” and “unification.” The new-look military alliance will be unveiled by the...

The first item in today’s installment has to do with an alleged “stealth” reduction in the Korean military presence in Iraq from 3,700 to 3,200. I’m not sure how strong my reaction is here– first, because I was under the impression that there were only 3,000 Korean troops there, so 3,200 represents a net gain of one company over my own expectations. Second and more importantly, the military value of the Korean contingent was already negligible, at least according to...

The first item in today’s installment has to do with an alleged “stealth” reduction in the Korean military presence in Iraq from 3,700 to 3,200. I’m not sure how strong my reaction is here– first, because I was under the impression that there were only 3,000 Korean troops there, so 3,200 represents a net gain of one company over my own expectations. Second and more importantly, the military value of the Korean contingent was already negligible, at least according to...

I guess the next step is for South Korea to start calling itself the Outer Koguryo Semi-Autonomous Zone. This story from the Chosun Ilbo is almost too amazing to believe: Military exchanges between Korea and China will intensify to a level similar to those between Korea and Japan, the defense ministry said Monday. “China, more than any nation, wishes for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, so we plan to strengthen our military exchanges with China, including making defense...

Scroll down for updates. The Korean government is ruling out “renegotiation” of its “tenative” cost-sharing agreement with the USFK, which is no surprise given the likely consequence of losing face to the Yankees just four weeks before the next bi-election. I’m suspicous about the use of the term “tentatively agreed” in the Herald story. Either there’s a binding agreement that was authorized for public release or there wasn’t; if the latter is true, it’s a negotiation, not a renegotiation. Perhaps...

I guess the next step is for South Korea to start calling itself the Outer Koguryo Semi-Autonomous Zone. This story from the Chosun Ilbo is almost too amazing to believe: Military exchanges between Korea and China will intensify to a level similar to those between Korea and Japan, the defense ministry said Monday. “China, more than any nation, wishes for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, so we plan to strengthen our military exchanges with China, including making defense...

Scroll down for updates. The Korean government is ruling out “renegotiation” of its “tenative” cost-sharing agreement with the USFK, which is no surprise given the likely consequence of losing face to the Yankees just four weeks before the next bi-election. I’m suspicous about the use of the term “tentatively agreed” in the Herald story. Either there’s a binding agreement that was authorized for public release or there wasn’t; if the latter is true, it’s a negotiation, not a renegotiation. Perhaps...

What kind of diplomatic response could the United States possibly offer to Roh Moo-Hyun’s astonishing announcement that South Korea will now seek to “balance” its long-time protector against the lean, hungry barbarians that surround it? It’s doubtful that any U.S. official could offer a response he’d want printed–particularly in the context of another deadlocked round of cost-sharing negotiations. That might explain why Washington let the Commanding General of the Eighth U.S. Army, Lieutenant General Charles Campbell, do the talking today:...

What kind of diplomatic response could the United States possibly offer to Roh Moo-Hyun’s astonishing announcement that South Korea will now seek to “balance” its long-time protector against the lean, hungry barbarians that surround it? It’s doubtful that any U.S. official could offer a response he’d want printed–particularly in the context of another deadlocked round of cost-sharing negotiations. That might explain why Washington let the Commanding General of the Eighth U.S. Army, Lieutenant General Charles Campbell, do the talking today:...

An advisor to the U.S. Congress said Friday a resolution drafted in 2003 to commemorate 50 years of the Korea-U.S. alliance died a quiet death in the House over anger in Congress at anti-American demonstrations in Korea. Rest the rest here. The advisor, Dennis Halpin, works for Henry Hyde. His wife is Korean, and he met her as a young Peace Corps volunteer. He’s considered one of the House’s go-to men on Korea policy. It’s friends like these that Korea...