Photos Fwd: We oppose the South Koreans’ paying for the whole cost of the relocation of the USFK bases

* All the image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea on Aug. 31, 2010

미군기지 이전협정(LPP) 전면 부정하는 기지 이전비용 전액 한국 부담 반대!
104차 평화군축집회 - 2010 년 8월 31일
We oppose the South Koreans’ paying for the whole cost of the relocation of the USFK bases, which totally denies the Land Partnership Plan (LPP) !
104th Peace Disarmament rally-Aug. 31, 2010

'△ 원래 용산기지 이전 비용은 한국이, 미2사단 이전비용은 미국이 부담하기로 한 것을,
방위비 분담금을 불법으로 축적하여 전용한다고 하더니,
결국은 한국보고 모두 부담하라는 미국, 그 돈 줄 필요 없으니 돌아가라!!'
'△ It was supposed that the ROK would pay for the cost for the relocation of the Yonsan base while the United States would pay for the relocation of the US army 2nd division.
Then [the United States] said that she would appropriate the defense budget sharing cost illegally accumulated.
Now the United States who finally says the ROK should pay all the cost. Go back home, we don’t need to give the money to you!!'

'Ulterior motives behind the restoration of the conscription term
: Increment of the defense budget & retreat of the defense reform'
_________________________________________________________
* Related blog

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Text Fwd: [Translation]Bills of the ROK-US Alliance, Continuously flying into [the ROK]
계속 날아드는 한미동맹 청구서
_________________________________________________________
* Related articles

Korea Times 08-30-2010
Questions rise over cost-sharing for US base relocation in Korea

Korea Times 08-30-2010
Debate on military service period heats up

Text Fwd: [Translation]Bills of the ROK-US Alliance, Continuously flying into [the ROK] 계속 날아드는 한미동맹 청구서

* Image source: Same as the linked article

▲ "방위비분담금 전액 삭감!" 2008년 10월 8차 방위비분담특별협정 협상이 진행 중인 외교통상부 정문 앞에서 평통사 회원들이 방위비분담금 전액 삭감을 요구하고 있다. ⓒ 유영재
▲ “Cut whole defense budget sharing cost!” Members of the Solidarity for Peace And reunification of Korea are demanding to cut the whole defense budget sharing cost in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Department where the 8th Special Measure Agreement is being processed in October, 2008. ⓒ Ryu Young-Jae
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* The below is hurried arbitrary translation from the linked article.

Ohmynews
계속 날아드는 한미동맹 청구서
: 돈 한 푼 안 내고 첨단기지 짓겠다는 미국 속내 속속 드러나
Bills of the ROK-US Alliance, Continuously flying into [the ROK] :The United States’ intentions that she would build the high-tech base with no cost [from herself] are being revealed one after another.

10.08.30
Oct. 30, 2010

유영재, 평화와 통일을 여는 사람들 미군 문제 팀장
Ryu Young-Jae
Director of the USFK Matters
Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

미국이 마침내 주한미군기지 이전비용을 단 한 푼도 내지 않겠다는 속내를 드러냈다.

The United States has finally revealed her intentions that she would not be charged of any cost for the relocation of the USFK bases.

한미당국은 10월 초 열리는 한미안보협의회(SCM)에서 전시작전통제권 환수 연기 계획인 '전략동맹 2015'을 채택할 예정인데, 미국이 여기에서 미군기지이전사업에 소요되는 공사비 4조7천억원을 우리 정부가 미측에 지불하는 방위비분담금을 전용해 충당한다는 내용을 명기하겠다는 뜻을 밝혔다고 한다.

While the authorities of the ROK-US are to adopt the ‘strategic alliance 2015’ that is the plan for the postponement of the redemption of the war time operational control (OPCON) right at the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) that is held in early October, it is told that the United States expressed her will that she would state the content that she would meet the construction cost of 4 trillion 700 billion won [about $3billion] for the relocation business of the USFK base, by appropriating the defense-sharing cost that out government pays for.

미측은 1조7천억원 가량의 설계비 등도 한국 정부가 현금으로 제공하는 방안을 보증해주도록 요구했다고 한다. 이는 한국이 제공하는 방위비분담금을 계속 빼돌려서 자신들이 부담하기로 되어있는 미2사단이전비용을 모두 충당하겠다는 뜻이다.

It is also told that the United States demanded that she would assure the measure of which the ROK government would provide the cash for the layout cost of about 1trillion 700 billion won [about $1.4billion]. It means that she intends to meet all the relocation cost for the US army 2nd division, which has been supposed to be paid by her, by continuously diverting all the defense-sharing cost that the ROK would provide.

한미양국은 2004년에 협정을 맺어 용산미군기지이전은 한국이, 미2사단이전비용은 미국이 부담하기로 했다. 한국 정부는 이에 따라 전체 미군기지이전비용을 한미양국이 절반씩 부담할 것이라고 국민에게 밝혀왔다.

The authorities of ROK-US having an agreement in 2004, decided that the ROK charges for the relocation of the Yongsan USFK base while the United States charge for the 2nd army division. Following it, the ROK government has announced its people that the whole relocation cost will be paid half by half both by the authorities of the ROK and US.

미2사단이전비용 한국 부담은 LPP협정 위반

The South Korean charge for the relocation cost for the 2nd U. S. army division is the violation of the Land Partnership Plan(LPP) agreement

그런데 미국은 2001년부터 방위비분담금 중 현금으로 지급되는 군사건설비(MILCON)를 미2사단 이전비용으로 충당할 목적으로 2008년 10월 현재 1조1193억원을 축적해왔고 한국 정부는 이를 국민과 국회에 알리지 않고 제멋대로 묵인해왔다.

However, the United States has accumulated about 1trillion 119.3 billion 300 million won [about $9.3billion] of the military construction cost (MILCON) that is provided with cash among the defense sharing costs for the purpose to meet the relocation cost for the 2nd army division, as of this October, 2010 and the ROK government has connived as it pleases, without informing to its people and national Assembly.

이는 미2사단이전비용은 미국이 부담하도록 명시되어 있는 한미연합토지관리계획(LPP)개정협정 4조 1항에 대한 명백한 위반이다. 이 밖에도 헌법과 국가재정법, 국회법 등 국내법과 한미SOFA, 방위비분담금협정 등 한미 간 협정의 관련 규정에 모두 어긋난다.

This is a clear violation of the 1st clause, article 4, in the Land Partnership Plan(LPP) in which it is stated that the relocation cost for the US 2nd army division is supposed to be charged by the United States. Beside that, it also runs counter against the domestic laws -such as the Constitution, law on the national finance and law on the national Assembly- and ROK-US agreements such as the ROK-US Status of Forces Agreement and Special Measure Agreement(SMA) [that is on the sharing cost of the defense budget].

이에 대한 불법성 논란이 확산되자 한미당국은 2008~2009년의 8차 방위비분담 특별협정 체결 협상과정에서 방위비분담금 전용을 인정하는 전제 위에서 시설의 설계 및 시공감리와 관련된 비용을 제외하고는 현금 지원을 현물지원으로 전환하는 합의를 했다.

As the controversy on the illegality has been expanded, the authorities of the ROK-US agreed with each other to converse the cash support to the spot supports, except for the cost related to the layout and supervision of the construction, on the premise that they acknowledged the appropriation of the defense budget sharing cost, during the negotiation process of the 8th Special Measure Agreement in 2008~2009.

한미당국은 이 과정에서 방위비분담금 전용을 2013년까지 허용하기로 했다. 이는 방위비분담금 전용이 불법 부당하다는 점을 한미당국이 간접적으로 인정한 것으로 볼 수 있다. 그런데 미국은 천안함 사건과 전시작전통제권 환수 연기를 계기로 여기서 한 발 더 나아가 기왕의 문제가 있는 합의까지 무시하고, 방위비분담금 불법 전용을 2015년까지 더 연장할 것과 '전략동맹 2015'에 주한미군기지이전을 한국이 모두 부담하는 내용을 명시해달라고 요구하고 있는 것이다.

During the process, the ROK & US authorities agreed each other to permit the [US] appropriation of the defense budget sharing cost by 2013. It can be seen as the ROK & US authorities indirectly acknowledged that the appropriation of the defense budget sharing cost was illegal and unjust. However, now the United States further ignoring the problematic existing agreement upon the moments of the Cheonan ship incident and postponement of the redemption of the war time OPCON right, is demanding the ROK to state to extend the illegal appropriation of the defense sharing cost into 2015 and to charge all the costs for the relocation of the USDK base in the ‘Strategic Alliance 2015.”

미국은 방위비분담금 중 군사건설비 현물지원 등을 통해 미2사단을 건축할 뿐만 아니라 자신들이 현금으로 부담해야 할 2013년 이후의 설계 및 시공감리 비용까지 한국민의 혈세인 방위비분담금으로 충당하려는 것이다.

The United States not only intends to construct the [new facility] for the US end army division through the spot support for the military construction cost among the defense budget sharing costs but also intends to make even the layout & construction supervision cost after 2013 that they have to pay with spots charged by the defense budget sharing cost which is the blood tax by the South Koreans.

미국이 공격적 군사전략에 따라 미군을 신속기동군으로 바꾸기 위해 평택으로 미군 기지를 확장이전하면서 협정을 통해 자신들이 부담하기로 한 비용까지 모두 한국에 강요하는 것은 우리 국민이 도저히 받아들일 수 없는 일방적이고 불법적이며 낯 두꺼운 태도라 하지 않을 수 없다.

The attitude of the United States who expands and relocates the USFK bases into Pyongtaek to change the United States Forces of Korea as the expeditionary forces, enforces the ROK to pay even all the costs that she was supposed to pay cannot but be told as the unilateral, illegal and white-faced that our people can hardly accept.

한미동맹 청구서 3탄?
Is it the part 3 of the ROK-US Alliance Bill?

이명박 정부는 천안함 사건을 빌미로 한 대북 적대정책에 미국을 끌어들이면서 지난 6월 캐나다 한미정상회담에서 전시작전통제권 환수 연기 허락을 미국으로부터 받아냈다. 이에 대한 대가설이 제기되자 이명박 정부는 이를 전면 부인하면서 추가 예산소요도 없을 것이라고 강변했다.

The Lee Myung-Bak government drawing the United States into the hostile policy against the North Korea with the excuse of the Cheonan ship incident, received from the United States the permission of the postponement of the recovery of the war time OPCOM right during the ROK-US summit meeting, Canada, June. When there the discourse on the compensation was raised, the Lee Myung-Bak government totally denying it, quibbled that there would be even no supplementary budget need.

그러나 미국이 자동차와 쇠고기 조항에 대한 수정을 요구하는 한미FTA는 이미 한미정상회담 자리에서 오바마 미국 대통령이 협상 일정까지 명시할 정도로 사전 협의가 이뤄져 물밑 협상이 진행 중이다.
However, the [pending ROK-US] Free Trade Agreement in which the United States demand [the ROK] the revision on the clauses in automobiles and beef is being processed behind screen, with its prior agreement being established as for the President Obama to already elucidate the negotiation schedule in the summit meeting between the ROK and US.

뿐만 아니라 이명박 정부는 우리 경제와 외교에 대한 타격을 감수하고 이란에 대한 독자적 제재를 요구하는 미국의 요구를 수용했다. 여기에 더해 미국은 자신이 맺은 협정(LPP)을 완전히 짓밟아 버리고 주한미군기지이전비용 전액 부담을 한국에 요구하고 있는 것이다. 앞으로 아프간에 대한 전투병 재파병 요구도 구체화될 가능성이 높다.

Not only that, the Lee Myung-Bak government willingly submitting the blow to our economy and diplomacy, accepted the demand of the United States who demands the independent sanction against Iran. Adding to that, the United states is completely trampling down the LPP she has signed herself and demanding the ROK the whole charge of the relocation cost for the USFK base. There is high possibility that her demands for the re-sispatch of the combat troops to Afghanistan would be more concrete.

미국은 이처럼 천안함 사건에 대한 협조와 전시작전통제권 환수 연기에 대한 대가를 이명박 정부로부터 톡톡히 받아내고 있다. 한반도 평화위협과 군사주권 박탈의 대가로 외교·안보에 대한 타격은 물론이고 경제 위기와 재정적 부담까지 가중되는 이런 기막힌 상황은 이명박 정부의 한미동맹 몰입 외교와 대북 적대정책이 빚어낸 결과물이다.

The United States is receiving in great deal the compensation for the cooperation on the Cheonan ship incident and postponement of the redemption of the war Time Operational Control right. Such horrible situation in which, not to mention the blow in diplomacy & security, the economic crisis and financial burden add weights at the cost of the threat in the peace in the Korean peninsula and deprivation of the military sovereignty is the result of the Lee Myung-Bak government’s diplomacy being immersed in the ROK-US alliance and its hostile policies against North Korea.

한미동맹을 명분으로 한 불법 부당한 미군기지이전비용 전액 한국 부담을 우리가 과연 허용해야 하는가. 미국 내에서 군사전략 변화와 비용절감의 필요성에 따른 해외 미군감축 움직임이 있는 가운데 평택미군기지확장사업을 계속하는 것은 장차 엄청난 사회적 자원의 낭비를 초래할 수도 있지 않겠는가. 온갖 희생과 부담을 강요하는 족쇄가 되고 있는 불평등한 한미동맹을 우리가 언제까지 감내해야 하는가.

Should we possibly allow the South Korean charge of all the costs for the relocation of the USFK base, which is illegal and unjust, under the name of the ROK-US alliance? When there is the moves for the reduction of the overseas US forces following the needs of the change in the military strategy and costs reduction in the United States, will it not bring the tremendous waste of social resource in the future to continue the expansion business of Pyeongtaek USFK base, will it? By when should we bear the unequal ROK-US alliance that is becoming the leg-iron that enforces all kinds of our sacrifices and burdens?

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Translator's note

: The annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between Robert Gates and Kim Tae Young (Minister of the National Defense, ROK) was on Oct. 22. According to the Korean activists here, the SCM document, 2009 (check No. 546, HERE), for the first time, explicitly expressed 1: the strengthened U.S.-S.K. alliance regarding Missile Defense, 2: the expansion of the alliance beyond the Korean peninsula (strategic flexibility).
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작년 미군 SOFA 사범 63% 급증…절도 `쑥'(서울=연합뉴스, 2010.8.29)
US soldiers’ crimes, especially theft in violation of the SOFA have suddenly increased by 63 % last year (Seoul, Yonhap News, Aug. 29, 2010)

(서울=연합뉴스) 박성민 기자 = 지난해 한미 주둔군지위협정(SOFA)을 위반한 범죄가 급증한 것으로 나타났다. 29일 경찰청이 최근 발간한 `2010 경찰백서'에 따르면 지난해 SOFA 사범은 306명으로 2008년 183명보다 67.2%나 늘어났다. SOFA 적용대상은 주한미군과 군속, 이들의 가족으로 나뉘며 지난해 사범을 분류하면 미군이 201명으로 전년(123명)보다 63.4% 늘었고, 군속 등은 105명으로 2008년(60명)에 비해 75%나 급증했다.
범죄유형을 보면 폭력이 130명(2008년 100명)으로 가장 많았고, 절도 83명(2008년 23명), 지능범 15명(2008년 6명), 강도 7명(2008년 8명), 강간 5명(2008년 5명)이었다. 2008년 3건 발생한 성범죄는 지난해 한 건도 없었고, 최근 5년간 한 건도 없었던 살인은 한 건 발생했다. 경찰은 "최근 3년간 지속적으로 감소하던 절도 범죄가 지난해 많이 늘어난 것이 특징"이라고 말했다.

Text Fw: Guam references in appropriations request statement - Admiral Robert F. Willard

* Text informed by Martha Duenas through Famoksaiyan Friends (and thankfully reminded by Makiko Sato) on March 26, 2010. The color emphasis is by Martha Duenas.
________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF ADMIRAL ROBERT F. WILLARD,
U.S. NAVY COMMANDER U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND

BEFORE THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY CONSTRUCTION

ON MILITARY CONSTRUCTION IN U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND

MARCH 24, 2010

FISCAL YEAR (FY) 11 MILCON [pdf page 3]

In FY11, USPACOM is postured to request funding for facilities and infrastructure to support U.S. military forces and their families. MILCON requested by the services in the Pacific AOR is categorized into four broad areas: Defense Policy Review Initiative (DPRI), Republic of Korea (ROK) Transformation, Grow-the-Force, and Sustainment.

DEFENSE POLICY REVIEW INITIATIVE

Rapid response in the Asia-Pacific region hinges on flexibility, speed and forward basing of our military forces. On May 1, 2006, the U.S. Secretaries of State and Defense and their Japanese counterparts released the Roadmap for Realignment, which outlines the overall implementation for the relocation of U.S. forces in Japan. The importance of the Roadmap was reaffirmed in February 2009 in a second agreement signed by Secretary of State Clinton and her Government of Japan counterpart. Moreover, the Defense Policy Review Initiative (DPRI) agreed to with Japan will sustain the capacity of our forward ground forces while addressing the burden-sharing concerns of our Japanese hosts. The majority of DPRI actions remain on track and Japan is shouldering most of the planned facility construction costs associated with the agreed changes. The exception is the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF). The newly elected Japanese government is presently reviewing the plan to relocate Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to another location on Okinawa. We are optimistic that the Government of Japan will fully reaffirm the 2006 GoJ-U.S. agreement by May 2010. The relocation of MCAS Futenma, which affirms the continued presence of Marine Corps airlift capability on Okinawa, is the critical element enabling the relocation of 8,000 Marines to Guam. Per the agreement, U.S. MILCON funds will contribute to the costs for facility and infrastructure construction on Guam to support the relocating Marines and their dependents.

Guam: As do the Okinawa-based Marines, Guam-based forces offer the strategic flexibility and response needed for the U.S. to be postured for contingencies in the Asia-Pacific. MILCON funding is in turn a vital enabler for the timely relocation of Marines to Guam. FY11 funding continues our contribution to the 2006 Realignment Roadmap estimated facilities and infrastructure cost on Guam of $10.3 billion. Under the agreement, Japan will provide $6.1 billion of the funding with the U.S. providing the remaining funding. Japan committed its first increment of funds by appropriating $336 million in May 2009. We are hopeful their second increment of funding, expected in 2010, will further demonstrate their commitment to the effort. In our request, FY11 MILCON funding totaling $427 million will provide utilities and airfield ramp space to bed-down Marine aviation at Andersen AFB and wharf improvements at Apra Harbor. Additional investments will be needed to improve off-base Guam infrastructure, such as roads and bridges critical to the successful throughput of materials to the planned Marine Corps installation.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA (ROK) TRANSFORMATION [pdf page 4]

We continue to work with the Republic of Korea to realign and enhance U.S. force posture to ensure an effective and sustainable long-term presence on the Korean Peninsula which underlies our steadfast commitment to the defense of the ROK. Although the ROK is providing much of the funding for the planned changes, MILCON funds are needed for some facility construction and infrastructure.

The United States will develop a more capable and responsive U.S. and combined force posture in the ROK to strengthen the alliance’s deterrent and defense capabilities and long-term capacity for regional and global defense cooperation. Projects for the Land Partnership Plan and the Yongsan Relocation Plan include relocating U.S. troops out of downtown Seoul, returning the majority of Yongsan Army Garrison to the ROK, and consolidating our troops into two primary hubs south of Seoul. This effort sustains a strong U.S. combat presence on the Peninsula, while lessening the intrusiveness of our force presence in major urban centers like Seoul. We anticipate the ROK continuing to fund much of the facilities and infrastructure construction for this USFK realignment. For FY11, ROK Transformation includes the relocation of an Air Force heavy engineer construction unit to Guam. Eight million is requested to construct a headquarters facility at Andersen AFB for this engineer unit.

...

SUSTAINMENT MILCON – QUALITY OF LIFE [pdf page 8]

Quality of Life for our activity duty Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and their dependents continues to be a key enabler and retention factor for these Americans serving overseas often thousands of miles and many time zones away from family and loved ones. FY11, $644 million of requested Quality of Life MILCON will ensure we provide adequate housing, medical facilities, and recreation opportunities to these men, women and their families. MARFORPAC requests $30 million to replace an undersized and outdated fitness center at Camp H.M. Smith Hawaii. US Forces Korea seeks $20 million to upgrade utility systems at Camp Walker.

Bachelor Housing: In FY11, USPACOM requests $346 million for six barracks projects. PACAF plans to construct a student barracks worth $12 million at the Pacific Regional Training Center at Andersen AFB Guam. USARPAC seeks $216 million in Hawaii to renovate and construct barracks at Schofield Barracks and Tripler Army Medical Center. Naval Station San Diego California requests $75 million to construct junior enlisted quarters. Finally, MARFORPAC requires $43 million for bachelor enlisted quarters at Camp Pendleton.

...

Medical: $70 million is required in Guam to support the second increment of replacement of the outdated 1950s era hospital. When complete the hospital will provide modern state of the art medical services for activity duty members and dependents including the planned additional Marine personnel. Camp Carroll in Korea requires $20 million to provide a consolidated health-dental clinic.

http://appropriations.house.gov/Witness_testimony/MC/Robert_Willard.3.24.10.pdf

Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies

3/24/10

Hearing- Pacific Command
10:00 AM, H143, The Capitol

- Admiral Robert F. Willard, U.S. Navy, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command(Testimony)
- General Walter “Skip” Sharp, Commander, Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, and Commander, United States Forces Korea(Testimony)

http://appropriations.house.gov/Subcommittees/sub_mivet.shtml

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House Armed Services Committee

Ike Skelton, Chairman http://armedservices.house.gov

For Immediate Release: March 25, 2010 Contact: Lara Battles or Jennifer Kohl

202-225-2539

Opening Statement of Chairman Ike Skelton

Hearing on the FY 2011 Budget Requests from U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea

Washington, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) delivered the following opening statement during today’s hearing on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget requests from U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea:

“Today the committee will continue its posture hearings with Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command and General “Skip” Sharp, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea. At the outset, I want to welcome you both back to the committee, and thank you for your excellent leadership. I also want to thank the troops that you lead, along with their families, for their incredible service and personal sacrifice.

“There is an ever present danger that we in Washington are so focused on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq that security challenges elsewhere in the world will not get the attention they merit. More concretely, as a result of the last nine years of operations, the readiness posture of all the combatant commands outside the Middle East has suffered, creating heightened strategic risk. There are clear examples of these problems in the Asia-Pacific, and I believe that we ignore them at our peril.

“Let me review just a few of the daunting challenges ahead in the Asia-Pacific. The rebasing of U.S. Marines from Japan to Guam is one of the largest movements of military assets in decades, estimated to cost over ten billion dollars. The changes being planned as part of that move will not only affect our bilateral relationship with Japan; they will shape our strategic posture throughout the critical Asia-Pacific region for 50 years or more.

“Yet the path forward remains unclear. Japan is reassessing the agreement to move troops from Okinawa to Guam. It does not appear that the budget includes sufficient funds to accomplish the agreement -- and the Environmental Protection Agency has identified problems with the rebasing plan’s environmental impacts. We must get this right, and I assure you that this committee will work to ensure that we do.

“Last year North Korea launched a Taepo-Dong-2 missile over Japan; conducted a second nuclear test; kicked out inspectors; pulled out of the Six Party Talks; and restarted its nuclear facilities. All of this occurred in the context of an uncertain leadership and succession environment that may have fed some of these very concerning events.

“At the same time, our presence in South Korea is transforming. We are undertaking tour normalizations in Korea and substantially relocating our forces, an effort we will hear today has now been postponed for several years. There are also questions about how the new U.S.-South Korea command relationship, starting in 2012, will work. I am most interested in an update on these issues during today’s discussion.

“Never to be forgotten in this region, of course, is China. China recently suspended high-level military and other contacts with the U.S. in response to a U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. While China’s announced defense budget increase for this year is less than it has been in the past, their budget is still growing rapidly and the linkage between their stated strategic intentions and their actions remains unclear in certain areas. China conducted an unexpected mid-course missile interception test earlier this year- and reports of cyber-attacks from China against Google and other large U.S. companies continue to be troubling.

“We must be proactively engaged in the Asia-Pacific region on multiple fronts, and realize that our own actions may well influence the choices and actions of others. We must be able to pursue opportunities for security cooperation with regional allies and partners. At the same time, we must ensure that our force posture allows us to deter or to confront any security challenge that might emerge in this part of the world. We have difficult work to do to get there. I am pleased that the Department of Defense and Obama administration have already taken a number of positive steps in this direction and I hope to see more as we move forward.

“I now turn to my able Ranking Member, Buck McKeon, for any statement he may wish to make.”

No Key Resolve in Pohang: a US-SK Joint Marine War Drill and Press Interview

*Below are arbitrary translations of parts of the two articles combined together. One is the SPARK report
and the other is the article by Park Suk-Boon, Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK)
about the Pohang war drill.

* Except for the two whose sources were described below,
all the image sources are Kim Eun-Beom, from Incheon.

Pohang is called ‘the city of marine and POSCO (Pohang Iron and Steel Company)’,
Park Suk-Boon, SPARK staff, says.
As we arrived in the Pohang city, burning smoke smell from the POSCO factory
(You can see the smoke behind bridge, in photo) was so strong for people as to misunderstand it
as if their own car they were riding was burning.

The Police lining up in front of Camp Mujuk (red brick building in the photo), waited for
the participants of the press interview that was against the Key Resolve,
a US-SK annual joint war exercise, from March 8 to 18.

Despite all day rain and police interruption with illegal camera-recording of the protesters,
the 17 press interview participants firmly processed the press interview.
The press interview was on the urge to stop the SK-US marine joint combat exercise
in the mountain and urban areas. The SPARK says,
the urban exercise has been added in Pohang, for the first time, this year.

A SPARK staff talks about the need to be aware of the exercise and of military developments
that have to be stopped by the citizens in Pohang, which is known to be relatively conservative area.

The letters in the second say,
“Stop the US marine urban combat training aimed at occupation of Pyeongyang!”
The letters in the furthest right say,
“Stop the Key Resolve/ Foal Eagle war exercise for the invasion of North Korea!”


* Except for the two whose sources were described below,
all the image sources above are Kim Eun-Beom, from Incheon.

About 17 participants of the SPARK members from Seoul, Incheon, Busan, Daekoo [= Daegu], Andong, Korean Confederation of Trdae Unions, Pohang regional branch and Korean alliance of Progressive Movement, Daekoo/ Gyungbuk regional branch had the press interview against the US-SK joint marine exercise, part of the Key Resolve, in front of Camp Mujuk, Ohun-eup, City of Pohang, at 11am, on March 9, 2010. It was raining all day in Pohang.

The police standing in front of Camp Mujuk with awe-inspiring security, responded with the over and illegal measure, such as camera-recording of the press interview participants, therefore the participants urged and protested the police to stop the illegal recording.

Park Suk-Boon, a SPARK staff, writes about the US-SK joint marine war drill in Pohang, as part of the invasive Key resolve war exercises as below(partly translated of the original article, ‘The SK-US Marine Combat Trainings in the Mountain/ Urban Area and Camp Mujuk.’

“The mountain/urban area combat training that seems to be practiced in the areas of Camp Mujuk in Pohang, 1st Marine division’s ranger training field and urban area combat training field, is aimed for the SK-US joint force to progress the ground operation abilities that would be deployed in the inland after their landing in North Korea. It is clear that the mountain training is in preparation for the irregular battles (such as ranger war, guerrilla war) that are to be staged in mountainous and steep topography of the North Korea, while the urban combat training is for the occupation & rule of the North Korean main cities including Pyeongyang and in preparation for the civilian-military operations there. It is for the United States to apply for the lessons and combat techniques that she has learnt in Iraq and Afghanistan to the Korean peninsula.

When Walter Sharp, Commander of the USFK, after analyzing by saying that, “ Realizing that [we] can not win North Korea in traditional all-out war, we are accelerating the irregular war strategy,” announced that, “The SK-US alliance forces are developing the special measure for that”(September 29, 2009), his words proved the mentioned above as well. It is the part that shows the war scenario of the Combined Forces Command/ The United nations Command is being developed from the traditional all-out war, following the operation plan 5027, even to the military plan for occupation & rule of North Korea.

'The mountain training that was practiced in the marine ranger training field,
Sukjung MT., Pohang, as part of the Key Resolve, last year'
( source: SPARK, original source: Lee Si-Woo, Tongil News reporter)

Camp Mujuk has been newly given to the USFK, based on the Land Partnership Plan (LPP) that was concluded in 2002. It was according to the LPP that the detached unit of Pohang, Command of the Navy, USFK (CNEF) that has belonged to the 1st Marine Command, ROK, was being integrated into Camp Mujuk, as well. There line of many ROK marine education/ training fields, ranger training field near the camp Mujuk. The US marine is using the Pohang airport, according to the mutual memorandum on the request of joint use of the ROK airplane field (May 1, 1978), as well. The Global Security is introducing the Pohang airport as the site that USMC TCAIR WRM (US Marine Corps’ Tactical Air War Reserve Material) is stored.

'The Pohang Airport introduced in the Global Security. The Pohang is marked as the site
that the USMC TCAIR WRM (US Marine Corps’ Tactical Air War Reserve Material) is stored.'
(Source provided by the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea. Original source is Global Security.

The United States is planning to strengthen the Camp Mujuk as the ‘enduring base’. It is for the routine combat training and break of the expeditionary force of the US 3rd marine, by connecting it to the ROK marine facilities. The expeditionary force of the US 3rd marine is infamous as the spearhead unit of the United States’ foreign invasion, joining into the invasive Iraq war.”