Archive for the ‘Korea’ Category

South Korea thinks the US is their own personal peacekeeping force. There are currently 30,000 US troops in South Korea. The South Korean population do not want us there and protest often and loudly against the US presence. On the other hand the citizenry do like US dollars. When the US attempts to draw down it’s presence South Korean’s sue! Yes, they sue for their union contracts. I do realize there are South Koreans who want the US to stay and aren’t virulently anti-American. But the youth population in South Korea are anti-American and resent our presence.

Read here – Korean Union recommends strike at US installations

In 2005, South Korean’s were protesting for the removal of the statue of Gen. Douglas McArthur.

South Korea – An Ungrateful Nation

SEOUL, South Korea — Five U.S. lawmakers have written South Korea’s president to express concern at protests calling for the removal of a statue of U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur from Inchon, the coastal city where he led a daring landing during the Korean War.

< …..>The 15-foot statue was built in 1957 to commemorate the landing by MacArthur-led U.N. forces in September 1950, just months after North Korea invaded the South.

The landing, then behind North Korean lines, gave the U.S.-led forces a foothold that allowed them to drive the Northern army across the border. China later entered the war on the North’s side, pushing the U.N. forces back. The conflict ended in a stalemate in 1953.

A little over a year ago South Korea was talking about taking back control of their defenses, I don’t know why the US doesn’t make this happen now? As it stands, the South Korean’s undermine the US in talks with North Korea all the time by doing under the table deals with Kim Jung Il (aka Zippersuit Man).

From a little over a year ago - South Korea – Lets give them wartime control, in fact, lets get the US out in total

In a joint statement Thursday, the country’s 17 former defense ministers said they were “shocked� by Roh’s comments. They demanded a halt to the talks on changing the wartime command, which “will certainly unravel the alliance and lead to the withdrawal of U.S. troops.�

Under the plan being discussed by the United States and South Korea, the combined forces command – to old South Koreans, a symbol of U.S. commitment to defending their country, but to younger generations, a painful reminder of a foreign military influence – will be disbanded.

The U.S. military will stay on, perhaps in reduced numbers, and play a supporting role, officials say. South Korea wants to take back the authority for wartime combat by 2012. The Pentagon says South Korea can have the authority back by 2009.

Roh said Wednesday that anytime in between those dates would be fine; indeed, he said, Seoul could take it back “even now.�

Here’s what’s being discussed today:

South Korea wants U.S. troops to continue to stay on the Korean peninsula to play a peacekeeping role in Northeast Asia after the divided Koreas replace the armistice with a peace agreement, Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said Friday.

“The U.S. forces in Korea will maintain their presence on the Korean Peninsula even after a peace agreement is signed and continue to carry out a role that would serve the changed security needs in Northeast Asia,” Song told a seminar here on the “Vision and Tasks for Establishing a Peace Regime on the Korean Peninsula.”

Washington currently maintains some 30,000 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War. The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war as the fratricidal war ended only with a ceasefire.

President Roh Moo-hyun and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-il agreed earlier this month to begin negotiations involving one or two other “directly involved nations,” namely the two Koreas, the United States and/or China, to officially end the war.

The talks to replace the Korean armistice with a peace regime have yet to start, but Song claimed what he called a “practical process” to that end has already started though a more formal process to sign a peace pact may come some time later.

While noting the denuclearization of North Korea is a prerequisite to signing a peace agreement with the communist state, Song said the process to denuclearize the North, thereby toward a peace regime, “is already moving forward.”

How about, South Korea request the United Nations provide the peace keeping duties? After all, the world seems to believe that the UN has the moral authority over the United States. Besides, isn’t the new UN Secretary General from South Korea? I’m sure the UN Peace Keeping force would welcome a new country to conduct their food for sex operations, Africa is getting a bit old to them.  Or maybe the UN bureaucrats are looking for a new country to plunder and pillage with graft and corruption.  Oh, that’s right, the UN already has a corruption program with North Korea, that means they just have to add South Korea.

Technorati Tags: South Korea, North Korea, UN, United Nations, US, Military, Korean Peninsula, Kim Jung II, Zippersuit Man

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South Korea wants wartime control back from US Forces, I say lets give it to them. In fact, considering the anti-American sentiment in SoKo which has been exponentially growing over the last few years, it’s time for the US to close down it’s base in South Korea altogether. Afterall, they have their own trained military.

Seoul and Washington – at the request of South Korea – are working on a plan that will shift wartime operational control of Korean troops from the combined U.S.-South Korean forces command, headed by an American general, to the South Koreans.

The plan was leaked recently to South Korean media and was confirmed this week by U.S. and Korean officials.

Responding to a growing storm of criticism over the plan, Roh said Wednesday in an interview with the South Korean news agency Yonhap that the old agreement giving the Americans wartime control of South Korean troops was anachronistic, something of which South Koreans today should feel ashamed.

“To say that we South Koreans are not capable of defending ourselves from North Korea is to talk nonsense. It’s shameful,” Roh said in the interview. “I hope we kick the habit of feeling insecure unless we have layers of guarantee that the Americans will intervene automatically in case of war.”

In a joint statement Thursday, the country’s 17 former defense ministers said they were “shocked” by Roh’s comments. They demanded a halt to the talks on changing the wartime command, which “will certainly unravel the alliance and lead to the withdrawal of U.S. troops.”

Under the plan being discussed by the United States and South Korea, the combined forces command – to old South Koreans, a symbol of U.S. commitment to defending their country, but to younger generations, a painful reminder of a foreign military influence – will be disbanded.

The U.S. military will stay on, perhaps in reduced numbers, and play a supporting role, officials say. South Korea wants to take back the authority for wartime combat by 2012. The Pentagon says South Korea can have the authority back by 2009.

Roh said Wednesday that anytime in between those dates would be fine; indeed, he said, Seoul could take it back “even now.”

Since Roh says they can handle it now, why wait?  Let’s get the ball rolling now!  If the US thinks a footprint base is needed fine, that requires very little.  Course, South Korea will have to take over any civilian union contracts the US has commitments with.  This is no small thing.  If I recall a year or so ago, while protesting to remove the US Forces SoKo’s were also suing via SoKo unions due to a reduction in civilians needed to work at the base. 

Seoul seeks wartime control over its army from U.S. – Print Version – International Herald Tribune

This latest exhibition of Anti-Americanism in South Korea reinforces my belief the U.S. Military forces should be removed from the area. I know there are people who will say there are strategic reasons not to do this. Why should the U.S. put up with a nation who doesn’t want US Troops on it’s soil and continually denigrates the support of the U.S.

The gist of the story is the Anti-Americans in SK are calling for the removal of the statue of Gen. Douglas McArthur. Through the years apparently this statue has been the subject of defacement and damage. A group of US politicians are requesting that SK return the statue to the U.S. rather than SK tearing it down. The symbol of American liberation of South Korea is a symbol of derision in South Korea. I know the total removal of American Troops from SK won’t happen but after 50 years haven’t we done enough? South Korea doesn’t need U.S. financial or military support any longer.

Snip of story:

SEOUL, South Korea — Five U.S. lawmakers have written South Korea’s president to express concern at protests calling for the removal of a statue of U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur from Inchon, the coastal city where he led a daring landing during the Korean War.

< .....>The 15-foot statue was built in 1957 to commemorate the landing by MacArthur-led U.N. forces in September 1950, just months after North Korea invaded the South.

The landing, then behind North Korean lines, gave the U.S.-led forces a foothold that allowed them to drive the Northern army across the border. China later entered the war on the North’s side, pushing the U.N. forces back. The conflict ended in a stalemate in 1953.

Army Times – News – More News

Update 9/20/05: Holly in doing the Dawn Patrol for Mrs. G. at Mudville Gazette references this posting by GI Korea Blog on the Korea Times Advocates Moving MacArthur Statue? Beyond the posting itself be sure to read the comments. At least in reading the comments I find I’m not alone in my thoughts on South Korea.

Part of one comment:

The problem is that it isn’t as small a problem as a few rabblerousers. The Times editor is not the only voice of influence in Korean social institutions……………..But these two editors are just part of a much larger trend in educated Korean society. It touches all adults. It is found in the National Assembly too, and it is in pop culture………..

Another comment:

usinkorea, it seems that you and I are part of a small minority that believes anti-Americanism is much more deeply rooted in Korean society than what most ex-pats think. Call me pessimistic if you will, but beneath the surface of Korean society there is a swell of anti-Americanism just waiting to burst.

European and Pacific Stars & Stripes

Lance in Iraq noted this story. Lance is correct in that the US needs to get out of South Korea. It’s pretty obvious the South Koreans don’t want the US in their country and are also ungrateful for the US protection from North Korea since the ’50’s. This is along the lines of the attitude of the Germans towards the US and why do we still have any bases in Germany. To me, I don’t care what the rational would be, it’s time to get out of these countries. If the US needs footprint bases I’m sure there are willing host countries. But, I don’t think the US should ever build up permanent bases again like we have in Europe or South Korea. I don’t believe there is ever goodwill created from this permanent base structure in the host countries. There will come a time when Americans are going to be fed up with this setup and the tax dollars sponging into the foreign economies of nations who hate us.

< ......>
Kang In-shik said he met with USFK Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Charles C. Campbell and other senior U.S. officers to discuss the military’s proposal to lay off 1,000 South Korean workers.
< ....>
The announcement came as the United States and South Korea are trying to agree on how much that nation should pay toward the $1.2 billion cost of maintaining USFK. Last year, South Korea paid about $621 million. This year, it has proposed cutting that amount by $60 million,
< ....>
Kang said he understands that the funding shortfall might mean some workers would lose jobs but that cutting 1,000 employees is a “big ‘no-way’ for us, no matter what.�

The union will go to its 12,000 voting members beginning this week to see if they’ll vote for a strike, Kang said.

Imagine that….12,000 South Korean workers employed by the US!