Photos Fwd:[SPARK] Stop the illegal and unjust US base relocation business!

All the image sources: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, March 30, 2011
평화와 통일을 여는 사람들, 2011년 3월 30일(아래 링크 클릭)

http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_news&action=viewForm&uid=2750&page=1
Urgent press interview related to the hearing on the business promotion of the US base relocation:

Stop the illegal and unjust US base relocation business for which South Korea is burdened with 16 trillion won!

1pm, March 30, 2011-03-31 In front of the Ministry of National Defense

미군기지 이전사업 추진 설명회 관련 긴급 기자회견:

한국이 16조원 덤터기 쓰는 불법 (한미 LPP협정 위반) 부당한 미군기지 이전사업 중단하라!

2011년 3월 30일 낮 1시, 국방부 정문 앞





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See also Pyeongteak Peace Center 평택 평화 센터( 아래 링크 클릭)

http://www.peacept.org/bbs/zboard.php?id=peacept_act&no=223

[Jeju Update] [Translation] Jeju activists' peace statement on Dec. 4, 2010 제주 평화 활동가들의 2010년 12월 4일 평화 선언문

* Image source: Jeju Human Rights, Dec. 10, 2010, 'Jeju human rights culture event: Malttongii(* nickname of the endangered red-feet crabs in the Gangjeong Sea)'s Tear- Story of [Planned] Jeju Naval Base and Human Rights'' upon the 62nd annual commemoration of the world human rights declaration' (For more photos, click here)

* 이미지 소스: 제주 평화 인권 센터, 2010년 12월 10일,

세계 인권 선언 62주년 기념 인권 문화제 (더 많은 사진들은 여기 클릭)

* Image source: Jeju Human Rights, Dec. 4, 2010, 'Peace Culture event: Blow, Peace Wind!'

(click here for more photos)

제주 평화 인권 센터, 2010년 10월 4일 평화 문화제(더 많은 사진들은 여기클릭)

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* The below is an arbitrary translation of the original Korean statement announced during the Dec. 4 peace culture event lead by the Pan-Island Committee for the Prevention of Militray Base and for the Realization of Island of Peace, Jeju Island. (link is same as the above photo)
*아래는 2010년 12월4일 제주 군사 기지 저지와 평화의 섬 실현을 위한 범도민 대책위가 이끈 평화 문화제 때 발표된 선언문의 자의적 영문 번역입니다. (위 사진과 같은 링크에서 보실 수 있읍니다.)
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Statement for the Peace of the Jeju Island

By the Yeonpyeongdo artillery exchange incident that has occurred last November, precious lives of not only soldiers but also civilians were sacrificed. We expressing our deep condolence to the victimized people by that incident, desperately hope that such things should not be repeated again.

The crisis of the Korean peninsula faced by the Yeonpyeong Island artillery fire incident, make us think about ‘peace’ again.

Many people are heightening their voice saying that we should prepare with more powerful weapons and we need more drastic countermeasures.

However, the Yeonpyeong Island artillery fire this time clearly shows that stronger weapons and more drastic countermeasures cannot but only be returned with more conspicuous threat of peace of other kinds.

It has been more than 20 years that the level of our defense cost passed over the national budget of North Korea and the expense of national defense cost comes around the 10th in the world. Despite that, if the issue of the Korean peninsula is dragged to the logic of military power build-up, it cannot but be said that the Korean peninsula pretenses itself as an explosive warehouse amidst the North East Asia where the cold war order is becoming deepen, to make matters worse.

Therefore, the Lee Myung-Bak government should face to its sincere and cool self-examination on what direction the peace management in the Korean peninsula should be done rather than saying such and such of strong chastisement, along with its change in its hard-line policies against North Korea, taking lesson of incident this time.

Currently, a construction of a large-size military base outfited with high-tech weapon system is being driven. It is the Jeju naval base construction. That will be considered as the representing example of military build up in South Korea in the future. Furthermore in the sense that the naval base in the Jeju Island would be, in fact, the base targeting China, it would only contribute to strengthen the new cold war order in the Northeast Asia where the three countries of ROK-US-Japan and the other three countries of NK-Russia-China are contesting. Especially, concerns are being raised that the military base in the Jeju would be not only a big obstacle for the vision of the jeju Island that dreams to step toward the Island of Peace in the future but also a thing that would clash with the national thesis of establishing the Northeast Asia peace community.

The Korean peninsula crisis by the Yeonpyeong Island artilery fire incident casts us with the question of whether continuos military power build up and military-security-centered nation security logic would be some helpful for the peace in the Korean peninsula. For that reason, the matter of the naval base construction in the Jeju Island should be totally reconsidered in such extended context.

We hope that the Jeju would be the 'peace base' that contributes not to mention to the peace in the Korean peninsula but aslo to the peace in the East Asia. For that, we think that any additional military bases or facilities should not be built.

The Jeju is creating its peaceful tradition taking the memory of sacrifice by national violence called April 3 [1948 massacre & uprising], sublimed with reconciliation and co-living. Based on such spirit, we would resolutely deny any demand of military base and declare that we would practice for the Island of Peace, Jeju, with all the peace-loving Island people, toward the day when the Island of Peace, Jeju is accomplished.

Photos Fwd: [Benjamin Hiller] G20 Protest Seoul, Nov. 7 to 8 젊은 독일 사진가 벤자민 힐러의 G20 리포트, 11월 7일~8일

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* Related blogs 관련 블로그들

Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Fwd: More Photos on G 20 Protest : Nov. 7, Pan-Korean Workers' Rally
더 많은 전국 노동자 대회, 11 월 7일 사진들

Monday, November 8, 2010
Photos Fwd: An evening festival before the Pan Korean Workers’ rally , Nov. 6, 2010
11월 6일 전국노동자대회 전야제 열림

Monday, September 20, 2010
Text Fwd: Put People First!: Launch of the “People’s Response Action against the G-20” on Sept. 15:
9월 15일 G20대응민중행동’ 출범

All the blogs on G20 (42 as of Nov. 9, 2010)
G20 관련 모든 블로그들(2010년 11월 9일 날자로 42개)
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* Photo courtesy: Benjamin Hiller (Click HERE)

'Pan Korean Workers' rally, Nov. 7, 2010
STOP G20!

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Benjamin Hiller, a young German photographer is making a wonderful coverage on the protest against G20.

He says Demotix, where he publishes his photos, has now opened a news-hub especially for the G20 coverage. You can check it in the below:

http://www.demotix.com/g20-summit
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Here are some of the photos and texts from his coverage.
All the photo courtesy here is Benjamin Hiller.

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1. G20 Seoul: Candlelight activists join Anti-FTA Sit-In, [Nov. 8, 2010]

Members and supporters from the Democratic Labor Party hold candles during their Sit-In against the FTA agreement between USA & South Korea as well as in protest against the upcoming G20 Summit in Seoul. Seoul, Korea. The police fears a situation like 2008 when the candlelight activists counted 100.000s.

See more photos
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2. Democratic Labour Party hold G20 Seoul Protest [Nov. 8, 2010]

* Note: The Lee Myung-Bak government and US started a secret talks to pass Free Trade Agreement with a worse revised version including the import of the US beef, on Monday, Nov. 8. As the news was known, all the progressives are now in emergency situation.

No ROK-US FTA

Today members from the Democratic Labour Party started an Sit-In in the center of the city. They will stay there for the next few days until the G20 Summit is over.

See more photos
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3. G20 Seoul: Press Conference of Anti-G20 activists, [Nov. 8, 2010]

Anti-G20 activists held an emergency conference after the detention of Philippine activists and denial of visas for activists to travel to Korea. The speakers were from Malaysia, Japan, Spain, South Africa and Korea. Seoul, Korea. 08/11/2010

Charles Santiago (Malaysia), member of the Malaysia Parliament, condemned especially the deportation of the Philippine activists. Seoul, Korea. 08/11/2010.

James Tyotyo from the Confederation of South Africa Trade Union concluded, that since 2008 the G20 has been nothing than a talk show and has failed to deliver any coordinated response to the economic and financial crisis. Seoul, Korea. 08/11/2010.

See more photos

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4. G20 Seoul: Press Conference of Anti-G20 activists, [Nov. 7, 2010]

Workers from a Samsung factory protest against the worse working conditions as well as the high death toll at that factory. 07/11/2010. Seoul, Korea.

Stop the increment on the defense budget, that counter against the peace agreement!

'Today the first big Demonstration against the upcoming G20 Summit in Seoul/Kora took place. Around 40.000 Demonstrators (the Police says 20.000) attend the rally at the Seoul Plaza, a central place directly next to the City Hall of Seoul.

The rally started around 12 am and stayed peaceful until 6 pm. Than the Demonstrators tried to break through the Police-lines and march towards the inner City core. But the massive presence of more than 8.000 Rito-Cops (including water-guns and barriers constructed out of buses) held them off. During this scuffles several Demonstrators as well as Riot-Cops got arrested.

The rally focused mainly on the topics "Globalization" as well as "Neoliberalism", but also about the criticized "Four River" Project in South-Korea and Migration Rights.

In four days, at November 11, the main demonstration will take place. The State has announced to use all its force (50.000 Police in Seoul) to protect the COEX center (where the Summit will take place) against the Demonstration.'

See more photos

Video & Some texts Fwd: [SPARK] The defense budget should be cut! 국방 예산 감축되어야

* Image source: same as the link

- The defense budget cut is the will of people who judged the [Lee Myung Bak government’s] hunting North Korea with the pretext of Cheonan ship [incident]!
- People-friendly welfare budget is a lie without cutting the wasteful defense budget!
- “Just society” without the cut of the illegal defense budget is a fair but empty phrase!
- It is time to reduce military budget not to build war power!
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* Related blog

Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Photos Fwd: [SPARK] The National Assembly should cut the defense budget and expand the public welfare budget!
국회는 국방 예산을 삭감하고 복지 예산을 늘려야
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* The SPARK uploaded the report on its recent Peace Disarmament rally on Oct. 26, 2010. You can see some photos and video, HERE. Some translated excerpts can be seen underneath the below video.
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관련 국문 기사는 여기를 가세요.
[평통사]106차 평화군축집회
국회는 국방예산 삭감하고 민생복지예산 확충에 나서라!
2010. 10. 26(화) 낮 12시/여의도 국회 국민은행 앞
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* Video source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea



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_ 평통사와 민주노총, 진보신당등이 국회 국민은행 앞에서 군비축소와 민생복지예산 확충을 촉구하는 106차 평화군축집회를 진행하였습니다.

_ Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK), Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), and New Progressive Party, Democratic Labor party etc. held the 106th peace Disarmament rally that demanded the reduction of military budget and expansion of welfare budget, in front of the Kook-Min bank near the National Assembly, [on Oct. 26, 2010].

_ 10월 25일 부터 2011년도 국방예산에 대한 국회 심의가 시작됩니다. 2011년도 국방예산 요구안은 올해 29조 5,627억 보다 5.8%증액된 31조 2,795억입니다. 국방예산이 30조를 넘어선 것은 사상 처음입니다.

_ The National Assembly review on the 2011 defense budget began on Oct. 25. The 2011 defense budget proposes 31 trillion 279.5 billion won (* about $ 27 billion), that is 5.8 % increment from 29 trillion 562.7 billion (* about $ 25 billion), this year. It is for the first time that the ROK defense budget went over 30 trillion won.

_ 오혜란 평통사 평화군축팀 팀장은 “이명박 대통령이 예산안 시정연설에서 2011년도 예산안의 특징을 ‘공정사회’,‘서민희망/미래대비예산’이라고 주장했는데, 이는 말뿐이다. 방위비분담금 중 연합방위력증강사업비의 경우는 예산편성의 법적근거가 없는데도 312억원이나 편성되었다.

_ Oh Hye-Ran, director of Peace Disarmament said, “Even though Lee Myung-Bak government claimed that the 2011 budget featured ‘just society,’ ‘hope and future-readiness for citizen,’ they are only words. The budget for the Combined Defense Improvement Project (CDIP) among the defense-sharing budget, was estimated even as 31.2 billion won (* about $27 million), even if it has no legal basis.

_최창준 민주노동당 자주평화통일위원장은….지금은 MD, PSI참여 국방비 인상등 전쟁을 준비하는 것이 아니라 금강산 관광 재개, 대북 쌀지원, 하나로 건강보험등 평화와 복지에 예산을 사용해야한다."

_Choi, Chang-Joon, Chairman of the Self-reliance, Peace & Unification Committee, Democratic Labor Party said… “Now is not the time to prepare war such as increment of the defense budget by joining MD & PSI, but the time to use the budget for peace & welfare such as the resumption of the Geumgang Mt. trip [in N.K], rice support for N. Korea and Hanaro health care.

-안병순 공무원 노조 교육위원장은…[이명박] 파탄의 위기를 국민적 분노로 연결시켜 전쟁비용예산은 계속 감축시켜 평화유지비용으로, 서민복지비용으로 전환시켜야 한다."

- Ahn Byung-Soon, Education Director of the government workers’ union said, “ We should connect the crisis of Lee Myung-Bak government to people’s rage, continuously reduce the war cost budget and [convert it] to peace maintenance cost and commons’ welfare budget.

_조승현 부장은 "확산탄과 대인지뢰는 국제적으로 모두 금지되어있는 무기로써 그 피해대상이 대부분 민간인이다라는 공통점을 가지고 있다. 대인지뢰에 경우 2000년도 이후에 47명이 민간인이 죽거나 다쳤다.'세계에서 가장 넓은 지뢰밭의 고향' 이라는 말은 미국 도시사전 사이트에 KOREA를 넣으면 첫 줄에 나오는 문구다. 한반도가 확산탄과 대인지뢰에 의해서 대량으로 피해를 입을수 있는 지역이다."

_Cho Seung-Hyun, staff of the Peace Disarmament team said, “The Cluster Bomb Unit(CBU) and anti-personal mine is all internationally prohibited and have the common character that the targets of their damage are mostly civilians. In case of anti-personal mine, 47 civilians were killed or wounded since 2000. ‘The home of the largest mine field in the world,’ is the phrase that comes in the first line when you type the word, “KOREA’ in the city dictionary site, United Sates. The Korean peninsula is the region that can be enormously harmed by the Cluster bomb units and anti-personnel mine,”

_흡수통일을 추구하는 이명박 정부 하에서의 국방비 증액은 대북 방어가 아닌 선제공격과 침략, 무력흡수통일을 위한 한미연합전력구축에 그 목적이 있는 만큼, 국방비 삭감투쟁은 이명박 정권의 기반을 허물고 평화와 통일, 복지로 나아가는 전제를 마련하는 투쟁이라는 의의를 갖습니다.

_As the increment of the defense budget under the Lee Myung-Bak government who pursues the absorbing unification is not for the defense against North Korea but for the preemptive strike, invasion, and establishment of the ROK-US combined war power for the absorbing unification by military power, the struggle for the defense cut has the meaning that it tears back the base of the Lee Myung-Bak regime and prepare for the premise for the peace, unification, and welfare.

Photos Fwd: [SPARK] The National Assembly should cut the defense budget and expand the public welfare budget! 국회는 국방 예산을 삭감하고 복지 예산을 늘려야

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[평통사] 2011년도 국방예산 심의를 앞두고 군비삭감과 민생복지예산 확충을 촉구하는 공개서한은 여길 클릭

[참여연대논평] 무기 수출 세계 7위가 과연 바람직한 국가목표인가
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Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea
106th Peace Disarmament rally
The National Assembly should cut the defense budget and expand the public welfare budget!
In front of the ROK National Assembly, Seoul, Oct. 26, 2010

Comparison between the 2008 SK & NK defense cost
24.7 billion dollar (S. Korea)
550 million dollar (N. Korea)

Give to the United States?
Annually 1 trillion 940 billion won [about $ 1billion 710 million]

Give to the North Korea?
Annually 200 billion won [about $170 million]

The 3rd in the defense expense among the OECD countries!
The last in the welfare expense among the OECD countries!

[No!] Anti-personal mine + cluster bomb unit (CBU) + construction of golf field + bestowing to the U. S.
[Yes!] People’s welfare + defense reform + peace & unification + people’s enough livelihood

If the defense budget is cut:

1 trillion 471.3 billion won only for the 23 budget items of the illegal, wasteful and retrogressive against peace, which the SPARK has pointed out
→ It is possible to convert the 200,000 irregular workers to the regular workers ( 1 trillion 200 billion won)

*

Illegal budget CDIP (* Combined Defense Improvement Project)_ 312 billion won
+ wasteful budget for the construction of golf field_ 223 billion won

→ In the citizen rental housing business, City of Seoul, support for the personal charge & moving residence
by resident recipients is possible
→ Making up to 574 billion won

*

Induction cost for Anti-human & non-peaceful mines for the anti-personal & anti-tank
:122 billion won

→ 81 billion won of the support cost for bringing up disabled children(2,500) of which the number was cut by the Grand National Party who had initially promised it

Now is the time to cut the military budget, not to build war power!
Do not expand the defense budget with the pretext of the Cheonan ship!
Defense cut is needed for the peace in the Korean peninsula!

(*1 $=1138.58 won on the date of Oct. 26, 2010)

Text Fwd: [Korea MND] Korea aims to boost defense exports in 2020 남한, 국방 수출을 2020년까지 증대하려 목적

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* 참여 연대의 훌륭한 국문 성명은 여길 가시길.
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* Korea Ministry of National Defense Recent News No. 663
Korea aims to boost defense exports in 2020
Date 2010-10-25 13:29

Oct. 20, 2010

Korean government revealed its blueprint of leaping to the 7th largest defense export country in the world with annual sales worth $4 billion a year by 2020.

In a defense and industry related ministries meeting, which was presided by the president Lee Myung-bak on Oct. 19, the Presidential Council for Future and Vision reported national plans to develop industry and create jobs in defense area for the purpose of defense advancement.

First of all, the council laid out its goal of joining the worldwide high rank in defense industry exports and defense technology by 2020. It also aims to earn yearly $10 billion output and $4 billion exports sales as well as create 50,000 jobs by that year.

Until 2008, yearly defense export sales amounted to $250 million, which shares only 0.5 percent in worldwide defense market.

In order to achieve such goal, the council said it perform overall reform on defense research and technology system that Agency for Defense Development (ADD) monopolizes. Except for major, strategic and secret weapons, private firms will be responsible for general weapons development and their efficiency improvement, the council said.

Beginning next year, general weapons development and their efficiency improvement are going to be handled by some private firms and eventually all private firms are slated to take care of such project by 2015, according to the council.

The council reported that ADD, instead, will focus on developing strategic and secret weapons and basic technology for the future. Also private firms will be able to use weapon test facilities without trouble.

In addition, the council aims to organize civil, government and military joint team designed to control weapons development process from the initial stage of demand proposal. The council added that it will verify validity of weapons in advance so that the military could get weapons of high efficiency.

"If such process of weapon development is well performed, we will be able to consider creating system of improving efficiency of arms in various positions, such as strategically and technically," said an official under the council.

Moreover, the council is planning to increase budget for research and development for future-oriented technology and core parts development.

In order to boost defense industry, the council said it has decided to create a new council in charge of improving defense industry that will be led by both defense and knowledge ministers. Also it is planning to enlarge the role of defense supplies trade support center under the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency as well as come up with support measures for defense firms like tax cut.

The council will assist top defense firms and outstanding small and medium companies by providing incentives.

"In the past, Korea's defense industry was created without considering world market and export condition," said Kwak Seung-jun, chairman of the Presidential Council for Future and Vision. "Korea's target market for defense exports has to be established in many parts of the world. ADD will be concentrated on developing strategic weapons and core basic technology while private sector is going to be in charge of creating general weapons."

Site Fwd: [Korea MND]Defense drew up budget for next year

Korea NMD Recent News No. 651

Defense drew up budget for next year
Date 2010-10-04

Sept. 29, 2010

As Korean government finalized its national budget for next year during a cabinet meeting on Sept. 28, it had submitted next year's defense budget proposal of 31.279 trillion won ($27.682 billion), a 5.8 percent increase from last year, to the National Assembly on Oct. 1.

"Defense budget for 2011 was made focusing on reinforcing key military capabilities to counter existing threats from North Korea after the Cheonan sinking [in March]," said a defense official who asked not to be named. "We have also considered boosting troops morale and improving working condition when compilating the budget."

The official said that ordinary operating expenditures for the Defense Ministry among overall next year's government budget proposal is 21.618 trillion won, a 5.7 percent surge compared to last year, and defense improvement expenses increased by 6.1 percent at 9.661 trillion won from last year.

In particular, budget worth 2.128 trillion won that will be used in maximizing existing combat capabilities and other budget to enhance measures coping with any infiltration and regional provocative activities are included in the defense budget proposal.

Text Fwd: Ministry offers 7% rise in 2011 defense budget

Korea Times
Ministry offers 7% rise in 2011 defense budget
06-30-2010 22:16
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff reporter

The Ministry of National Defense has called for a 6.9 percent increase in defense spending next year, citing the need for bolstering its defense posture against North Korean provocation, ministry officials said Wednesday.

The ministry submitted the spending plan scaled at 31.6 trillion won ($25.9 billion) to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

In detail, the ministry asked for 21.65 trillion won, a 5.8 percent increase, for operational costs, including salaries for soldiers, and 9.95 trillion won, a 9.4 percent rise, for arms improvement plans

The request for increasing defense expenditures follows the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship in the West Sea in March caused by, according to a Seoul-led multinational investigation team, a North Korean torpedo attack. The sinking of the Cheonan claimed the lives of 46 sailors.

Since then, calls have been growing to spend more money to build and acquire weapons systems to deter North Korea's asymmetrical and irregular warfare tactics.

The ministry also wants to improve the welfare of soldiers.

"There is a need to improve our military capabilities against emerging threats in the region. In particular, we feel a sense of urgency in beefing up our systems to thwart a North Korean provocation or infiltration in the wake of the Cheonan sinking," a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Gen. Han Min-koo, a nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), echoed the calls for increasing defense spending.

"Should I take over as the JCS chief, I'll ask the President and the defense minister to increase the defense budget by 7 percent or more," Han said at a National Assembly confirmation hearing.

Budget constraints have haunted the country's ambitious military modernization program, dubbed the "Defense Reform 2020."

When the reform plan was originally formulated in 2005, the budget for this year was projected to increase to about 33 trillion won ($28 billion). But the money decreased to 29.6 trillion won.

For the 15-year period from 2006 to 2020, the original plan had a combined budget of 621 trillion won, including 75 trillion won to acquire advanced weapons to offset a planned manpower reduction by 2020.

According to the 2009 review of the plan, the aggregate 15-year budget decreased to 599 trillion won.

Based upon the low budget increase in 2010, and before adjustments for the Cheonan incident, the 15-year total would be more like 540 trillion won, an 80-trillion-won shortfall from the original plan, according to defense experts.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.krmailto:

Text Fwd: Boeging Eyes India & Asia for Big Weapons Profits

* Text sent from Bruce Gagnon on June 8, 2010

Singapore Airfreight Directory
07 June 10
The Business Times
Boeing eyes Asia for its defence sales

(SINGAPORE) Faced with slumping demand and budget cuts in the United States, American aerospace giant Boeing's defence arm is looking to Asia to pick up the slack.

Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS), estimates that countries such as South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and South-east Asian partners such as Malaysia will be strong markets for its fighter jets, unmanned systems, helicopters, energy systems security and even cyber-warfare technology amid a slowdown in defence spending in its US home market.

'We are seeing some pressure in our core business in the US, such as missile defence, but growth will come from other markets, particularly in Asia,' he said.

About 16 per cent of BDS's US$34 billion business comes from international sales. Mr Muilenburg, who was in Singapore last week for the Asia Security Summit, sees international business share rising to 25 per cent in five years.

Asian markets account for about half the international sales. And this could grow sharply in the next three years.

The company is awaiting a Japanese tender for some 40 next-generation fighters to replace its ageing F4 Phantoms.

In Korea, where it has delivered 61 F15-K Eagle fighters, it is looking at an opportunity to clinch another deal for 60 more of the planes.

In Australia, where it has delivered the first five of 25 F18 Superhornets and five C17 transport planes, it sees interest for the P8 anti-submarine planes.

In Malaysia, it is currently in talks to sell its F18 Hornets to replace the air force's ageing Russian MiG fighters, while in Singapore, it is in the process of supplying the 24 F15 Eagles on order.

But it is India which Mr Muilenburg sees as the 'Jewel in the Crown'.

The signing of the nuclear agreement by former president US George W Bush two years ago, and the subsequent thawing of relations between the US and India, have finally opened up the country's US$30 billion defence market to Boeing.

'In the past, Boeing's relationship with India was purely on the commercial airplanes side,' he said. 'Now, relations encompass the defence side.'

India has already inked a deal to buy eight P8i anti-submarine aircraft and has expressed an interest in purchasing 10 C17 military transport aircraft. If that US$4 billion C17 deal comes through, it will be Boeing's single biggest for this aircraft type.

But the biggest competition now going on is India's request for the supply of 126 multi-role combat fighter planes. Besides Boeing, others in the battle for this US$10 billion deal include Eurofighter Typhoon, Sweden's Griffin, France's Rafale and Lockheed Martin of the US.

Besides fighters, the Indian army is also looking to buy Apache attack helicopters and the Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.

Text Fwd: Defense Reform 2020 to be revised for NK threat

An MH-60S minesweeper helicopter

Korea Times
05-26-2010 17:14
Defense Reform 2020 to be revised for NK threat

By Jung Sung-ki Staff reporter The five-year-old defense reform initiative aimed at building smaller but high-tech armed forces is under intense review following the sinking of the frigate in a "surprise attack" by North Korea The Defense Reform 2020 plan was initiated in 2005 by the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration in pursuit of a "self-reliant" military that could deal with regional threats beyond defense against a North Korean invasion. The plan included reducing the number of standing troops and instead equipping the armed forces with advanced weapons systems by 2020 in stages. The Roh administration believed the level of North Korean threat would decrease gradually with the help of its engagement policy. Against that backdrop, the previous administration put more emphasis on developing a blue-water Navy and advanced Air Force, rather than strategies to deter North Korea's conventional forces. But the situation has changed drastically, as the Cheonan tragedy reminded South Koreans that they are facing one of the most belligerent regimes in the world, defense experts say. "Last year's revision of the original Defense Reform 2020 called for boosting a readiness against North Korea's asymmetrical threats and its weapons of mass destruction. But the new version still ignored its conventional capabilities," Cha Doo-hyeon, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), told The Korea Times. "A case in point is a submarine attack as seen in the Cheonan sinking." "So now we need a critical and comprehensive review of the defense reform plan to look at what are the real threats we're facing now and then how can we readjust reform plans enough to thwart such threats," said the researcher. Some analysts are worried that the reform plans would be too much focused on the North Korean threat to cope with emerging, regional threats in the long-term. "I'm worried that defense authorities will be in a hurry to come up with stop-gap measures, not envisioning long-term military development," a former Navy admiral said, asking not to be named. "The best scenario is drawing up plans to deal with both North Korean and regional threats in the future. I hope the Defense Reform plan is readjusted and refocused in a more balanced manner." Last year, the Ministry of National Defense revised the Defense Reform 2020, amid growing calls to prepare for North Korean asymmetrical threats and its nuclear and missile programs. The first revision called for securing independent capabilities to remove such North Korean weapons by deploying sophisticated surveillance, reconnaissance and precision-strike assets. Key procurement items included high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles, a ground-based early warning radar, PAC-3 interceptors and SM-3 ship-to-air missiles. The Army is supposed to triple the number of its K-9 self-propelled howitzers and multiple launch rocket systems to counter attacks by the North's long-range artillery near the border under the plan. The military readjusted its target troop cut number to 517,000. The original plan called for reducing the troop level from 690,000 to 500,000 by 2020. Changes in procurement plans Following the Cheonan incident, military authorities are seeking to readjust their operational and arms acquisition priorities, as the naval disaster revealed the lack of necessary equipment. For example, the Navy came under heavy fire for failing to swiftly respond to the incident. The service dispatched two minesweepers from the Southern Fleet command in Jinhae to the western waters to search for the wreckage, but the vessels arrived there nearly two days after the incident. A fishing boat equipped with a fish finding sonar found the sunken ship faster than the minesweepers. Critics said minesweeper helicopters could have sped up the search-and-rescue operation. Compared with minesweepers, helicopters can defend larger areas faster; they can also lay mines in an enemy's littorals to hamper its ships or lock them into a harbor. The aircraft can also carry special forces into enemy territory. On Tuesday, the Cabinet endorsed 35.2 billion won ($29 million) in supplementary funds to procure and maintain weapons systems and defense equipment. The supplementary budget is to be used to upgrade warship sonar, deploy sound surveillance systems for islands near the sea border and develop an indigenous three-dimensional radar system among others. The military also plans to buy minesweeper and anti-submarine helicopters. Potential helicopters include the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk and AgustaWestland EH101. Under the MH-X project, the Navy had requested to buy eight multi-mission helicopters with airborne mine countermeasures to find North Korean mines, but the program was put on the back burner mainly because of financial constraints. According to a Cheong Wa Dae source, President Lee has directed an increase in expenditure for weapons procurement to cope with North Korea's irregular warfare. Lee apparently called for spending about 3 trillion won within his term, the source said. Irregular or asymmetrical warfare uses more special forces to conduct operations than regular forces, as well as the unconventional use of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons systems. Budget support Many defense experts shared the view that to better overhaul, readjust or sustain the reform plans, budgetary support is essential. "The 2009 version of Defense Reform 2020 had a focus on improving ground forces while delaying some arms improvement plans for the Navy and Air Force due to budget constraints," Lee Sang-ho, a researcher at the Sejong Institute said. "For the original version or the 2009 revision, a securing relevant budget is the most important part, so that government authorities should first recognize a certain level of increase in defense expenditure is essential." Budget shortfalls have haunted the defense reform plan. The National Assembly passed a 29.5-trillion-won in funding for defense last year, which represents a 3.6 percent increase from the previous year but a decrease from the original plan proposed by the Ministry of National Defense, which had called for a 7.9-percent increase. Bruce Bennett, a chief researcher at the U.S.-based private defense think tank, RAND Corporation, said a budget problem would affect ongoing works to overhaul the defense reform plan and planned transition of wartime operational control of South Korean troops from the U.S. to Korean commanders in 2012. The original reform plan had been estimated to cost a whopping 621 trillion won based on the assumption that the country's domestic product and government expenditures would grow in parallel at roughly 7.1 percent a year from 2006 to 2020. In other words, the Roh administration anticipated the defense budget would grow by 9.9 percent a year from 2006 through 2010, then about 8.8 percent per year from 2011 through 2015, and then on average 1 percent per year from 2016 through 2020. But that estimation has been proven wrong.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Text Fwd: [Exclusive] Lee directs W3 tril. rise in arms buying

Korea Times
[Exclusive] Lee directs W3 tril. rise in arms buying
: Seoul seeking to counter NK’s asymmetrical warfare

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff reporter
05-16-2010 17:20

President Lee Myung-bak has directed an increase in expenditure for weapons systems to cope with North Korea's asymmetrical and irregular warfare, a government source said Sunday.

Lee called for spending 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion) on arms improvement programs, the source said. The President made the decision during the first meeting of a newly established presidential task force for revamping national security and defense plans last Thursday, he said.

"There is a certain need for changes in defense equipment and weapons systems as well as military operations," Lee told the 15-member panel led by Lee Sang-woo, a former professor who now chairs the Defense Reform Committee.

Lee urged the panel to revise the Defense Reform 2020 initiative after reassessing the existing security situation, including increasing threats posed by North Korea's asymmetrical and guerilla tactics.

"Upon the President's direction, defense authorities are expected to review current arms acquisition plans and readjust their priorities," the source told The Korea Times. "The focus will be on how to thwart the North's asymmetrical and irregular operations."

Irregular and asymmetric warfare uses more special forces to conduct operations than regular forces, as well as the unconventional use of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons systems.

A Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said President Lee hadn't directed detailed plans on the arms programs, adding the military will decide upon these.

"For example, buying helicopters for maritime and air-to-ground operations will gain speed in order to help prevent the infiltration of North Korean special forces into the South, or to drop our commandos into enemy areas," the source noted.

Other weapons to be affected by a potential increase in defense expenditure would include upgrades of warships' sonar, deployment of a sound surveillance systems (SOSUS) for islands near the sea border, development of three-dimensional anti-air radar and an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) bomb, and the acquisition of bunker-busting bombs, he said.

"On the other hand, arms programs aimed at deterring North Korea's conventional threats could be put on the back burner for the time being," he added, apparently referring to the production of the K2 Black Panther main battle tank and K21 infantry fighting vehicle.

No Missile Defense, No Cluster Bombs!

No arms race in the North East Asia!! No MD!(SPARK)

No Poongsan, cluster munitions production & export company! (SPARK)
Remove the non-humanitarian cluster munitions, weapons of mass destruction! (SPARK)

Join the Convention on Cluster Munitions! (SPARK)
No MD that makes China enemy! (SPARK)
Stop the plan to join the MD (SPARK)
Stop the HHOP (Humphreys Housing Opportunity Program)) construction business
that makes the USFK as the invasive forces to overseas! (SPARK)
(* The HHOP here concretely means rental housing for the USFK and their families, Pyeongteak)

'South Korea, join the Convention on Cluster Munitions! (SPARK)'

South Korea, join the Convention on Cluster Munitions! (SPARK)


* SPARK means Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

* Below is rough translation from the SPARK site.

[98th SPARK Peace Disarmament Rally for the abolishment of the cluster munitions and for joining of the convention on the cluster munitions]
: Simultaneous actions for the abolishment of the cluster munitions in front of the Defense Department, Poongsan headquarter (Seoul), and Angang factory of Poongsan (Kyungjoo)

Noon, Feb. 23 (Tuesday), 2010
Place: In front of the civil service consultation center, Ministry of the National Defense dept.


1. Cluster munitions of which a big bomb contains the small bombs, from 2~3 at least to 2,000 at most, and that bursts by spreading those, are the weapon that indiscriminately scorch the vast areas and an anti-humanitarian weapons, to the degree that 98% of the killed by them are the civilian.

2. Even though South Korea is one of the representing cluster production and export countries, she has not joined the Convention on the Cluster Munitions. And at least $80.8 billion won budget[about $ 76 million] of the cluster munitions [for storage] is included in 2010 defense budget.

3. Hanwha is exporting 2.75 inch MPSM (Multi-Purpose Sub-Munition) that is jettisoned from the helicopter or aircraft, while Poongsan is producing, selling and exporting the 155mm Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DP-ICM) that is used by K-9 self-propelled gun. The South Korean cluster munitions production companies of Hanhwa and Poongsan are becoming the targets of the international denouncement as those are designated as the ‘companies for investment ban’, each in Dec. 2006 and Jan. 2008, by the Norwegian GPDC whose motto is the ethical investment.’

4. On Feb. 23, Tuesday, the SPARK [did] the 98th SPARK Peace Disarmament Rally; for the abolishment of the cluster munitions; for urging the South Korean government to join the convention on the cluster munitions; for stopping the negotiation to join the US MD system; and for urging to stop the permission on posing and conditional use of the rental housing for the USFK families (The cost for that illegal practice would be from South Korean people’s bloody tax]. The SPARK [has also done] one-man protest simultaneously in front of the Poongsan headquarter, Angang factory of the Poongsan.


Peace Disarmamnet team, SPARK


The endorsers

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea
Sharing Culture
All Together
Share Culture of the University Students
And New Progressive Party


* There are other organizations who actively protest against the Cluster munitions, as well. Please see HERE.

Text Fwd: United States, Stop the Enforcement [of South Korea] to Join the MD System!

* * Makiko Sato thankfully translated this site in Japanese. See HERE.

* Image source: Tongil News (photo by Koh Sung-Jin)
The Korean letters in the top right say, 'We desperately oppose the participation in the BMD
that runs counter to the NK-US, NK-SK summit meetings.'
The big letters in the banner say, "We denounce the United States who attempts
to draw the South Korea into missile defense system."

* Image source: Missile Threat.com

* Below is the arbitrary translation of the Tongil News article on Feb. 5, 2010

* Blue letters are the fixed


“United States, Stop the Enforcement [of South Korea] to Join the MD System”:
Civil Social Organizations Repel the United States Report Which Specifies ‘the South Korea as An Important MD Partner’
Feb. 5 (Friday), 2010
Koh Sung-Jin (kolong81 (at) tongilnews.com)

The civil society organizations are repelling in voice against the official ‘[Ballistic Missile Defense Review] Report,’ published by the U.S. Defense Department that stipulated the South Korea as the partnership country of the BMD system, saying “ it is the intention to draw the South Korea into the U.S. missile defense system.”

The three organizations of the Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea (SPARK), Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), and Korea Alliance of Progressive Movements (KAPM), having the press interview in front of the gate NO. 5, Yongsan USFK base (Headquarter of the United States Forces of Korea), Seoul at 11am, Feb. 5, and saying that “The United States, in her Review Report last Feb. 1, is calling the South Korea that has not made official to join the Missile Defense system, as the important partner of the U. S. MD system along with Japan," criticized that, “It came out from her intention to manufacture the matter of the South Korea’s joining of the U. S. MD system as an established fact.”

The organizations further viewed it, as “the hidden intention to clearly integrate the South Korean MD into the United States centered North East Asia Theater Missile Defense.”

The organizations saying in the press release that “It is the openly known fact acknowledged by the former & current U. S. officials, that the reason that the North Korea entered the development of the nuclear and ICBM is because of the United States’ military threat against the North Korea”, pointed out the danger of the establishment of the BMD system, saying, “The United States plan of MD establishment would provoke the repulsion and response not only from the North Korea but also from China and Russia and would make the routine of the unlimited arms competition and chronic war crisis.”

Following it, the organizations pointed out that, “The MD establishment cost that would take 7~8trillion won [* about $6~7billion] would not only put the burden that cannot be bearable to South & North Korea” but it is obvious that ‘It would be a big obstacle to the non-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula and to the conclusion of the peace agreement.”

These organizations saying, “In the US review report, “operational coordination” between the South Korea and United States is, by establishing the MD operation system attacking against the North Korea, centered around the USFK MD system which is overwhelmingly far superior, and by subjugating the ‘Korean style MD’ as the below system supporting it, having the high possibility to submit the ‘Korean style MD’ into the part of global US missile defense system.”

They, saying that in the report, “[the phrase of] “in negotiation about the need of the missile defense in South Korea” is, by taking the form of setting the SK-US joint operational requirement condition to make a trickery as if the South Korea is volunteering to join into the United States MD system, from the South Korean’s own need,” demanded the United States to immediately stop the enforcement of the South Korea to join the MD system.”

Oh Hye-Ran, the chief of the Peace Disarmament team of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea saying that “The position of the Ministry of National Defense, ROK, regarding joining into the United States ballistic missile defense system is not different from that of the past. Despite that, relating to that matter, the person in charge of the United States said that the both countries of the South Korea & the United States were processing the negotiation on the proper role of the South Korea.” pointed out that “It is because the United States is enforcing the participation of the South Korean government, by making pressure on it with whatever means.”


* Related blog

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2010/02/text-fwd-us-and-skorea-diverge-on-us.html
Hankyoreh
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Text Fwd: U.S. and S.Korea diverge on U.S.-led missile defense system

Text Fwd: K2 Tank Production Suffers Budget Cut

Image source/ caption: same as the link below
'K2 Black Panther tank' [So called 'Heukpyo']

"The budgetary plans endorsed by the legislature include 14.2 billion won [about $13million]to introduce a presidential jet; 10 billion won[about $9million] to build Type 214 submarines; 9.1 billion won [about $ 8.7 million] to build a KDX-III Aegis destroyer; and 5 billion[ about $ 4.7 million] to construct a naval base on Jeju Island."

Korea Times
01-03-2010 16:54
K2 Tank Production Suffers Budget Cut
By Jung Sung-ki (gallantjung (at) koreatimes.co.kr)
Staff Reporter

The planned production of homegrown K2 Black Panther main battle tanks this year has suffered a major setback due to a reduction of the related budget.

The National Assembly passed its 292-trillion-won (some $251 billion) spending plan for 2010, which included 29.5 trillion won in funding for defense, on Dec. 31.

The defense budget represents a 3.6-percent increase from last year but a decrease from the original plan proposed by the Ministry of National Defense, which called for a 7.9-percent increase.

Among the arms improvement programs, K2 tank production was hit the hardest by the cut. The Assembly slashed 50 billion from the proposed 88.2 billion won for producing the new tanks this year amid reports over technical problems with the tank's "power pack" system.

The Agency for Defense Development began field trials of the domestically-built engine and transmission system in July last year but problems emerged during the tests, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

Originally, the production of some 390 K2 tanks was scheduled to begin after field trials to replace the Army's K1 tanks and its aging M48 Patton tanks.

In a parliamentary session on Dec. 10, Defense Minister Kim Tae-young admitted the problem with the K2 power pack, which is comprised of a 1,500-horsepower, 12-cylinder diesel engine and transmission.

"The K2 program will be delayed by one year, but the production of 100 tanks in 2014 will be possible," Kim said.

Unveiled in 2007, the K2 is a major defense product for domestic needs and overseas sales. The K2 technology has already been exported to Turkey.

The K2 carries a three-person crew supported by an auto-loading system and a locally-developed 120-millimeter/55-caliber stabilized smoothbore gun. The fully-digitalized vehicle has an electric gun/turret driving system, automatic sensor input and power monitoring and control system.

Its 1,500-horsepower engine can power the tank to 70 kilometers per hour on paved roads and 50 kilometers off-road. It can cross rivers as deep as 4.1 meters, a considerable improvement over the K1 and K1A1, and fire as soon as it resurfaces.

The budgetary plans endorsed by the legislature include 14.2 billion won [about $13million]to introduce a presidential jet; 10 billion won to build Type 214 submarines; 9.1 billion won [about $ 8.7 million] to build a KDX-III Aegis destroyer; and 5 billion[ about $ 4.7 million] to construct a naval base on Jeju Island. [* According to the SPARK research, the budget, provided by the government for the dispatch to Afghanistan is 44 billion won which is about $40 million. The discussion on the agenda by the National Assembly on the dispatch to Afghanistan was delayed to February.]


* Related blog

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/spark-largely-cut-2010-defense-budget.html
Monday, November 23, 2009
SPARK: Largely Cut the 2010 Defense Budget!