Text Fwd: Experts address misconceptions about OPCON transfer

Hankyoreh
Experts address misconceptions about OPCON transfer
:The debate over OPCON transfer has been ongoing since the Park Chung-hee administration
June 25, 2010

» General Jung Seung-jo, deputy commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, center, participates in a ceremony and receives a flag from Combined Forces Commander General Walter L. Sharp, left, at Seoul’s Yongsan base, June 24... The debate over transferring wartime operational control (OPCON) from the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to the South Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been long-standing. Proponents of delaying the transfer stress that the transfer of wartime operational control would result in an exit by USFK, and South Korea does not yet have the capacity to exercise command independently. They have also voiced criticism that the wartime operational control transfer was a rash decision by the Roh Moo-hyun administration that ignored grave security realities. Was the Transfer of Command an Immature, Rash Decision by the Roh Administration? Some conservatives consider the transfer of wartime operational control to have started with the warped “anti-American, self-reliant” ideology of the Roh administration and a populism reliant on nationalism. The first president to raise the issue of wartime operational control, however, was former President Park Chung-hee, who did so in the late 1960s. The South Korean and U.S. governments clashed over a response to North Korea’s commando assault on Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) on Jan. 21, 1968 and the North Korea’s capture of the U.S. intelligence gathering ship USS Pueblo two days later. This was because the United States issued no response to the attack on Cheong Wa Dae, but went to DEFCON 2 in response to the seizing of the Pueblo. Furious, Park asked the United States to transfer operational control to South Korea. The transfer of wartime operational control was officially raised again as a campaign pledge by then-ruling party presidential candidate Roh Tae-woo. Discussions over the transfer issue were held between South Korean and U.S. military authorities, and on Dec. 1, 1994, during the Kim Young-sam administration, peacetime operational control was transferred back to South Korea. In 1995, the Defense Ministry crafted a plan to push for the transfer of wartime operational control around the year 2000. Will the USFK Diminish or Withdraw if Wartime Operational Control is Transferred? Conservatives claim that a wartime operational control transfer will result in a USFK reduction or withdraw, or that it will become difficult for the United States to send reinforcements in wartime. Stationing U.S. troops in South Korea, however, is based on a bilateral mutual defense pact, and is not directly related to the transfer of wartime operational control. Experts have stated that even if the transfer of wartime operational control is delayed, one cannot exclude the possibility of decreases in U.S. troop strength in South Korea in the medium to long term because of the U.S. “strategic flexibility” strategy. This is to say, although the Combined Forces Command’s OPLAN 5027 calls for 690,000 U.S. troops to be dispatched to South Korea within 90 days of the start of a war, the military believes it will be hard for the U.S. to send more than 200,000 to 300,000 troops in an emergency as the U.S. has been tied down in the War on Terror since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Does South Korea Lack the Capacity to Exercise Wartime Operational Control Independently? Most security experts believe South Korea has sufficient military strength to deter North Korea. South Korea remains a military power in strong standing, as it ranks 10th in the world in overall military spending and maintains the world’s sixth largest military. In fact, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) reportedly told Cheong Wa Dae last August that its research into a comparison in both countries’ military strength showed that even without USFK or wartime U.S. reinforcements, the South Korean military was 10 percent stronger than the North Korean military. Internationally recognized U.S. military expert James Dunnigan also once evaluated North Korea’s fighting strength as about 40 percent of South Korea’s capacity based on a 1995 assessment. One reserve general said Thursday that the fluster the command experienced during the sinking of the Cheonan was largely the fault of the absence of independently planned or managed operations for around 60 years. He said the transfer of command could be turned into an opportunity to boost South Korea’s operational planning and management capacity. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

Text Fwd: Probe into military spy case widening

Korea Times
Probe into military spy case widening
06-10-2010 22:22

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff reporter

A probe into the latest spy case involving an Army general is intensifying as five more people are suspected of leaking military secrets to a South Korean man serving as a spy for the North, officials at the Defense Security Command (DSC) said Thursday.

A day ago, the major general, identified only as Kim, was arrested on charges of having leaked ROK-U.S. wartime operational plans and other classified information between 2005 and 2007 to the spy.

The spy then handed the information to a North Korean agent in China in return for an unspecified payment, the officials said.

"We've found that there are more suspects involved in this spy case, a DSC official said on condition of anonymity. "There might be at least five more suspects."

The DSC asked the military's General Court Martial to issue a detention warrant against Kim.

Part of the information that Kim may have leaked was regarding "Operational Plan 5027," a detailed battle plan of the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command.

The plan, which maps out how the U.S. and South Korean forces would fight against the North, is modified every one or two years since the first version was created in 1974.

Kim and the spy, a former official of the National Intelligence Service, are alumni of the same military academy.

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.”

[126th Self-Reliance Unification Peace Action] ‘Stop the Key Resolve war exercise against the N. Korea and conclude the peace agreement in Korea

* Below are arbitrary translations of the parts of the two articles combined together. One is the report from the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea and the other is the article of the Tongil News on March 9.

*All the image sources/references are Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea.

About 60 people joined the 126th Self-Reliance Unification Peace Action
in front of the United States embassy, Seoul, on March 9, 2009.

Joo Byung-Joon, Chairman of the Village People’s Committee
against the Expansion of the Mugeon-ri Military training Field, joining in peace performance
in which people puts on various peace signs on the strings.

People put up the peace signs of pepper (* Korean traditional sign of abundance/prosperity)
and pigeons such as ‘withdrawal of the United States Forces of Korea’ and ‘Conclusion of peace agreement’ etc.

The letters beside the photo of the United States soldier say, “Occupation of North Korea
then establishment of the pro-US regime [in North Korea].”

Choi Sa-Mook. Co-representative of Veterans for Peace delivered the request letter

that was read aloud in the rally, to the United States embassy.

Police has occupied the rally site prior to the rally. The police finally withdrew from the site
after about 10 minute conflicts with the rally participants who demanded their right to have the rally.

Men from the Defense security Command whom even the police doesn’t know?
Those men were secretly recording the rally participants with camera, which is illegal.

*All the image sources/references are Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea.

There was the 126th Self-Reliance Unification Peace Action in front of the United States embassy under the issue of ‘Stop the Key Resolve war exercise against the North Korea and conclude the peace agreement in the Korean peninsula’ in Seoul, at 12pm on March 9, Tuesday, 2010.

The police claming even before the rally that “We can not guarantee the rally site because the contents on opposition against the Key Resolve is directly related to the United States,” Blockaded the rally site with the police units, saying, “Process the rally in the site more than 100M from the United States embassy.” The participants including the SPARK activists demanded, “The police behavior is illegal so guarantee the rally site.” After 10minutes of conflicts, the police accepted the rally participants’ request and withdrew the police units. Through the police behavior, the thing that the United States embassy has much burden on the currently being progressed Key resolve exercise, could be indirectly confirmed.

The organizations who participated in the rally pointed out that “ This war exercise is clearly invasive in the sense that, following the operational plan 5027 aiming the annihilation of the North Korean troops and removal of the North Korean regime, it is mobilized with the 18,000 United States force & 20,000 South Korean forces, and that its trainings are such as WMD removal operation, MD operation, mountain & urban area combat for being accustomed to the North Korean topography, and SK-US joint marine exercise assuming the urban combat in Pyeongyang that are premised on the collapse of the North Korean regime and occupational ruling.”

Kwon Oh-Chang, the executive representative, Solidarity for the Practice of the South-North Joint Declaration, claimed that, “The armistice agreement was concluded in July 1953 and within three months, by opening the political meeting, the withdrawal of the foreign troops and conclusion of the peace agreement in the Korean peninsula, were to be discussed… However the authorities of the South Korea and United States made powerless of the armistice agreement with their conclusion of Mutual Security Treaty in 1953.”

He, introducing “There is the nuclear security summit meeting in April and NPT in May,” claimed that “The United States should does either the simultaneous actions of the conclusion of the peace agreement and non-nuclearization, or ‘continuous progress of the hostile policy against the North Korea.’

You Young-Jae, SPARK, introducing that “The SK and US authorities are to finish the discussion on the ways of the procedures on the strategic flexibility of the United States Forces before the SK-US Security Consultative Meeting in Washington DC in coming October,” pointed out that “In the QDR report announced in January, the contents that the strategic flexibility would be stipulated and that, under the possible condition of foreign dispatch, base relocation, equipment moving, making flexible of the prior procedures would be progressed, are included.”

He also pointing out that, “ The United States can any more maintain the world domination with the fixed military,” claimed that, “ Therefore, to maintain the world domination, she intends to realize the strategic flexibility of the United States.”

Finally, he, pointing out that “The United States changed the status of Korea from the combat area to non-combat area. It means there is no all-out war possibility in the Korean peninsula,” claimed that “If the United States does not need the defense against the North Korea, the United States Forces of Korea, should not think of the permanent staying in South Korea, through the strategic flexibility but should go away from this land.”

[Translation Fwd] [Statement] Immediately stop the Key Resolve/Foal Eagle Exercise that Threatens the Peace of the Korea Peninsula

* Image source: Cho Sung-Bong, Tongil News on Feb 19, 2010

Signs say, 'Conclude the Peace Agreement!', ‘Stop the ‘Key Resolve/ Foal Eagle’,
an invasive exercise against the North Korea,
which heightens war in the Korean peninsula!’ and ‘No war, yes peace’

* Image source: Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR), South Korean branch on Feb 19, 2010

* The big banner says
'Press interview urging to stop the SK-US war exercise
Stop the ‘Key Resolve/ Foal Eagle’, SK-US joint war exercise
that threatens the peace in the Korean peninsula
Time: 11:30am, Feb. 19, 2010/
Place: in front of the Combined Forces Command, Yongsan, Seoul
Sponsored by Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR),
South Korean branch, Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea
and Korean Alliance for Progressive Movement'


_____________________________________________________________________________________

* Below is the arbitrary translation of the link .


Self-Reliance Unification Committee,
Korea Alliance for Progressive Movement
on Feb. 19, 2010

[Statement] Immediately stop the Key Resolve/Foal Eagle Exercise
that Threatens the Peace of the Korea Peninsula
And Dismantle the Invasive SK-US Alliance!

Walter Sharp, commander of the [SK-US] Combined Forces Command announced on Feb. 17 that the CFC would perform the Key Resolve/ Foal Eagle 2010 in all over the areas of the South Korea from March 8 to 18, in which 18,000 United Forces including 10,000 United States Forces of Korea and 8,000 augmented forces participate.

The Key Resolve exercise is the plan for all-out war whose invasive character is distinct as to stipulate its operational purpose as ‘removal of the North Korea regime’ and annihilation of the North Korean military. Because it is the war exercise aiming the occupation of Pyeongyang, the third stage of operational plan 5027, and occupation exercise against the North Korea, clearly aiming the collapse of North Korea, there have been North Korea’s strong refute and heightened tensions in the Korean peninsula, including the western sea whenever there progressed the Key Resolve exercises.

The long-time confrontation and division in the Korean peninsula have enforced much suffering to both of South and North Korea. Even though through the June 15 joint statement and 10. 4 announcement, the new chapter for the establishing the peace system in the Korean peninsula, including the improvement of the relationship between the North and South and mutual agreement for the normalization of the relationship between the North Korea and the United States, it is the situation that the chapter has almost been the blank paper, due to Lee Myung-Bak government’s two years hostile policy [against North Korea]. Specially even in the current when the talks about the [possibility] of summit conference, the Lee Myung Bak government is not giving up the hostile policy against North Korea, [talking] such as ‘revival’ of the plan for emergency situation, and with that, all over the areas of the Korean peninsula including the western sea are streamed with routine and heightened tension.

[…]

The US-SK alliance has been the passage to realize the war policy of the United States, specially the domination ambition in the North East Asia, in the Korean peninsula. The United States has tested her war plan in the Korean peninsula and utilized the South Korea as her war outpost. The Lee Myung-Bak government must immediately stop the Key-Resolve SK-US joint war exercise and dissolve the invasive SK-US alliance.

Feb. 18, 2010
Self-Reliance Unification Committee, Korea Alliance for Progressive Movement


* Related Korean News

Koh Sung-Jin, Tongil News on Feb. 19, 2010


* For more photos

Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR), South Korean branch


* Related blog
http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/02/translation-fwd-sk-us-key-resolve.html
Thursday, February 18, 2010
[Translation Fwd] 2010 SK-US Key Resolve Military Exercise would be March 8 to 18