ID :
104811
Fri, 02/05/2010 - 15:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/104811
The shortlink copeid
Seoul mulls joint drill with U.S. against N.K. contingency: official
SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is "cautiously considering" a proposal by
the United States to hold a joint military drill in anticipation of a regime
collapse or other contingencies in North Korea, a government official here said
Friday.
The purported proposal by several high-ranking U.S. officials comes after North
Korean leader Kim Jong-il evidently suffered a stroke in the summer of 2008 amid
the North's worsening economic difficulties.
"High-ranking officials from the United States suggested, both in official and
unofficial terms, a joint military drill with South Korea to prepare for changes
in North Korea," a Seoul official said, requesting not to be named due to the
sensitivity of the issue. "Our defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are
prudently considering the proposal."
North Korea last month warned of a "sacred war" against South Korea over reports
that Seoul has come up with a new operational plan mapped in case of a regime
change in the communist North.
Talk of such contingency plans abounded last year amid rumors that a power
transition was set to take place in Pyongyang shortly to Kim's third son,
Jong-un, who is still in his 20s.
North Korea, still refusing to rejoin the multinational negotiations aimed at its
denuclearization, also suffers from an immense food shortage that some experts
say could lead to a massive riot against the weakening Kim regime. Kim Jong-il is
the son of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founding dictator.
The purported joint drill would not be as large as the Key Resolve or Ulji
Freedom Guardian exercises, which mobilize more than 25,000 U.S. troops and tens
of thousands of South Korean soldiers and are frequently called a "prelude to
war" by the North, the Seoul official said.
"It will not be such an apparent drill," he said. "Military officials from both
sides are continuing to discuss the issue."
Seoul and Washington have been carrying out annual joint military exercises to
prepare for attacks by Pyongyang, but this would be the first time the two sides
hold a drill in case of contingencies inside the Stalinist state.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
the United States to hold a joint military drill in anticipation of a regime
collapse or other contingencies in North Korea, a government official here said
Friday.
The purported proposal by several high-ranking U.S. officials comes after North
Korean leader Kim Jong-il evidently suffered a stroke in the summer of 2008 amid
the North's worsening economic difficulties.
"High-ranking officials from the United States suggested, both in official and
unofficial terms, a joint military drill with South Korea to prepare for changes
in North Korea," a Seoul official said, requesting not to be named due to the
sensitivity of the issue. "Our defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are
prudently considering the proposal."
North Korea last month warned of a "sacred war" against South Korea over reports
that Seoul has come up with a new operational plan mapped in case of a regime
change in the communist North.
Talk of such contingency plans abounded last year amid rumors that a power
transition was set to take place in Pyongyang shortly to Kim's third son,
Jong-un, who is still in his 20s.
North Korea, still refusing to rejoin the multinational negotiations aimed at its
denuclearization, also suffers from an immense food shortage that some experts
say could lead to a massive riot against the weakening Kim regime. Kim Jong-il is
the son of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founding dictator.
The purported joint drill would not be as large as the Key Resolve or Ulji
Freedom Guardian exercises, which mobilize more than 25,000 U.S. troops and tens
of thousands of South Korean soldiers and are frequently called a "prelude to
war" by the North, the Seoul official said.
"It will not be such an apparent drill," he said. "Military officials from both
sides are continuing to discuss the issue."
Seoul and Washington have been carrying out annual joint military exercises to
prepare for attacks by Pyongyang, but this would be the first time the two sides
hold a drill in case of contingencies inside the Stalinist state.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
