The Yomiuri Shimbun
WASHINGTON--U.S. President George W. Bush's decision to freeze troop levels of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea announced at the weekend summit with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak is based on Bush's desire to forge a new alliance between the two countries, while simultaneously keeping an eye on U.S. global strategy.
The announcement is intended to send a clear message to Lee's administration--and North Korea--that the United States will continue to have a hand in security on the Korean Peninsula. At the same time, Bush wants to involve South Korea in the United States' global strategy vis-a-vis security in the entire Asian region, blocking nuclear proliferation and assisting the war on terrorism.
"We reached an agreement to maintain the current U.S. troop level on the [Korean] Peninsula. This is a mutual agreement that benefits both our nations and will strengthen our alliance," Bush said Saturday at a joint press conference after talks between the two leaders at Camp David, Md.
Bush's pledge to maintain the 28,500 U.S. troops currently deployed in South Korea was the most important agreement reached at the summit, as it was the first topic he raised at the press conference.
When the United States decided in about 2004 to cut its forces in South Korea, relations between the two countries were shaky due to North Korean policies and the dispatch of troops to Iraq. At the time, the U.S. government was concerned about South Korea's de-Americanization under then President Roh Moo Hyun.
The new agreement underlines Bush's desire for the United States to continue supporting South Korea.
This reinforcement of U.S.-South Korean relations also keeps serves as a warning to North Korea, which has not yet provided a "complete and accurate declaration" of all its nuclear programs.
In his talks with Lee, Bush said he would fully back South Korea's request to be supplied with cutting-edge weapons under terms identical to those already agreed with North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. The U.S. government will demand North Korea abandon its nuclear programs using two approaches: by continuing diplomatic negotiations through the six-party talks; and increasing military pressure by beefing up the U.S.-South Korean alliance.
Meanwhile, Bush emphasized South Korea's involvement in U.S. policy with regard to the Asia-Pacific and other regions.
"The United States and [South] Korea are working to improve security and advance freedom in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Bush wants South Korea to actively participate in U.S.-led global actions including security in Asia beyond the Korean Peninsula and the promotion of democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is highly likely that Bush will ask South Korea to play a wider role with an eye on cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea, by asking it to participate in the missile defense network and Proliferation Security Initiative, among others.
Lee reportedly believes the freeze on troop levels symbolizes the reconstruction of U.S.-South Korean relations. This is a great departure from the approach taken by Roh Moo Hyun's administration, which emphasized an "independent national defense" strategy.
However, South Korea may face several problems hereafter.
Since the current troop levels are to be maintained, it is certain the U.S. government will urge South Korea to increase its host nation support to meet the cost of stationing the U.S. forces.
The United States has been asking South Korea to increase its support from the current 43 percent to 50 percent.
The U.S. government also may ask the country to extend new assistance for reconstruction programs in Afghanistan, from which South Korea withdrew its troops last year. It also is highly probable the United States will request that South Korea make further contributions to cover the dispatch of U.S. troops to Iraq, where troop deployments have been extended. In light of these issues, a certain level of disorder is expected in South Korea--including some political backlash.
(Miyazaki and Takekoshi are Washington and Seoul correspondents, respectively)
(Apr. 22, 2008)
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