ID :
40892
Thu, 01/15/2009 - 21:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/40892
The shortlink copeid
Top U.S. military spokesperson in S. Korea hopes for joint priority presentation
By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- The top U.S. military public relations officer in
South Korea has expressed hope that the two allies will coordinate their defense
priorities here this year and unveil them in an open forum.
Col. Jane Crichton of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) also suggested in an interview
that her commander and the South Korean chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(JCS) meet together to discuss ways to support the changing status of U.S. troops
here.
About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against
North Korea -- a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a truce instead
of a formal peace treaty. Hoping to improve the quality of their lives here, the
U.S. announced last month its troops here will be allowed to extend their tours
up to three years and bring their families beginning this year.
"For us right now, working at tour normalization is a top priority," Crichton
said Thursday night, speaking on the sidelines of a South Korea-U.S. friendship
gathering in Seoul.
Over 80 percent of U.S. troops are serving one-year tours unaccompanied by
families on the peninsula, considered a war zone. USFK commander Gen. Walter
Sharp said in a meeting with journalists last month that the new policy will help
strengthen the combined defense capabilities against North Korea.
"Maybe we can have both General Sharp and General Kim (Tae-young) of the JCS come
together and have a similar sort of thing," Crichton said, suggesting the two
sides could discuss areas in which South Korea could play a supporting role in
the full implementation of the tour extension.
Crichton said Sharp's priorities remain the same, "which is strengthen the
alliance and quality of life, and be prepared to fight and win tonight," but
suggested the allies can benefit from integrating their military priorities and
airing them in public.
"Ready to fight tonight" is a common expression used to refer to military
preparedness.
"The combined, or ROK and U.S. priorities are something that we need to address
together," she said, adding the two sides could "present them in a public forum."
ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- The top U.S. military public relations officer in
South Korea has expressed hope that the two allies will coordinate their defense
priorities here this year and unveil them in an open forum.
Col. Jane Crichton of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) also suggested in an interview
that her commander and the South Korean chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(JCS) meet together to discuss ways to support the changing status of U.S. troops
here.
About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against
North Korea -- a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a truce instead
of a formal peace treaty. Hoping to improve the quality of their lives here, the
U.S. announced last month its troops here will be allowed to extend their tours
up to three years and bring their families beginning this year.
"For us right now, working at tour normalization is a top priority," Crichton
said Thursday night, speaking on the sidelines of a South Korea-U.S. friendship
gathering in Seoul.
Over 80 percent of U.S. troops are serving one-year tours unaccompanied by
families on the peninsula, considered a war zone. USFK commander Gen. Walter
Sharp said in a meeting with journalists last month that the new policy will help
strengthen the combined defense capabilities against North Korea.
"Maybe we can have both General Sharp and General Kim (Tae-young) of the JCS come
together and have a similar sort of thing," Crichton said, suggesting the two
sides could discuss areas in which South Korea could play a supporting role in
the full implementation of the tour extension.
Crichton said Sharp's priorities remain the same, "which is strengthen the
alliance and quality of life, and be prepared to fight and win tonight," but
suggested the allies can benefit from integrating their military priorities and
airing them in public.
"Ready to fight tonight" is a common expression used to refer to military
preparedness.
"The combined, or ROK and U.S. priorities are something that we need to address
together," she said, adding the two sides could "present them in a public forum."
ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
