ID :
86816
Fri, 10/30/2009 - 09:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/86816
The shortlink copeid
U.S. welcomes any S. Korean contribution to Afghanistan: Pentagon
by Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The United States Thursday said it would welcome any contribution to Afghanistan by South Korea commensurate to its economy.
"I think, whether it be Japan's contribution or Korea's contribution, I think our
only hope would be that it would be commensurate to the size of their wealth, of
their economies," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said in a daily news briefing.
Morrell was talking about the remarks by South Korean Foreign Minister Yu
Myung-hwan earlier this week that Seoul was considering sending to Afghanistan a
130-strong Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) accompanied by 300 security
forces.
"We would welcome any and all contributions from our friends in South Korea," the
spokesman said. "They've been there a long time, and the notion that they are
plussing-up their contribution ... if indeed that is the case, that would be most
welcome news."
South Korea withdrew more than 200 military medics and engineers from Afghanistan
in 2007 after 23 South Korean Christian missionaries were held captive. Two of
them were killed and the rest released after the Seoul government pledged to
withdraw the troops by the end of that year.
South Korea currently maintains 25 medical civilians at a U.S. base in Afghanistan.
"In Japan's case, they're the second-largest economy in the world; in Korea's
case, a top-15 economy in the world," Morrell said. "There is a certain
responsibility that comes with countries of that power and that wealth, to
contribute to this international effort in Afghanistan. And so we are welcoming
of whether it be additional forces, or money, or PRTs, or expertise. Any and all
would be appreciated."
The spokesman said he did not "recall it being a major subject for the secretary
when he was in Seoul this week," although he added, "Obviously, you know, our
departments talk to each other about things like that."
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in Seoul last week that South Koreans
themselves will make any decision on troop deployments or any other form of aid
to Afghanistan.
Gates, however, also said, "I see a different dynamic and logic to Korea's
international military role today. In the past, deployments were considered
something that Korea was doing for the United States. Going forward, Korea's
international military contributions should be seen as what they are: something
that is done to benefit your own security and vital national interests."
Gates was apparently trying to pave the way for President Barack Obama to raise
the issue when he meets with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul next
month, amid growing pressure by the U.S. military to dispatch 40,000 more troops
to Afghanistan, where the Taliban insurgency is gaining power, despite the
presence of about 68,000 American troops there.
Yu, South Korea's top diplomat, has also said that increased aid to Afghanistan
by South Korea is linked to the stable deployment of 28,500 U.S. troops in the
Korean Peninsula, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Yu made the remarks just days after Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, told U.S. soldiers at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul last
Thursday that discussions are under way about rotating U.S. troops in South
Korea, although he said, "I certainly wouldn't expect this to happen in the near
future."
"The concern that gets raised with respect to rotating forces out of here is that
it lessens the commitment to the alliance and the Republic of Korea," said
Mullen, but he added, "There are regional challenges that we have here, and
actually they are global challenges, so there is no answer to that question yet."
Some analysts believe that the Barack Obama administration may try to reduce its
ground troops in South Korea for possible redeployment abroad after Seoul
reassumes full command of its troops as scheduled in April 2012. That would allow
the U.S. to focus on building air and naval forces on the Korean Peninsula. South
Korea got back peacetime control of its forces in 1994.
Earlier this year, a U.S. Apache attack helicopter battalion assigned to Korea
was sent to Afghanistan to reinforce American forces struggling in the war-torn
Central Asian state.
That triggered concerns in South Korea that the Obama administration may follow
up on the flexible troop deployment drawn up by the previous George W. Bush
administration to make it easier for U.S. troops in Korea to be mobilized to war
zones.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said Monday that it has never discussed a
possible U.S. troop reduction in Korea and that the U.S. government has
reconfirmed its pledge to maintain the number of U.S. troops in South Korea at
the current level.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- The United States Thursday said it would welcome any contribution to Afghanistan by South Korea commensurate to its economy.
"I think, whether it be Japan's contribution or Korea's contribution, I think our
only hope would be that it would be commensurate to the size of their wealth, of
their economies," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said in a daily news briefing.
Morrell was talking about the remarks by South Korean Foreign Minister Yu
Myung-hwan earlier this week that Seoul was considering sending to Afghanistan a
130-strong Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) accompanied by 300 security
forces.
"We would welcome any and all contributions from our friends in South Korea," the
spokesman said. "They've been there a long time, and the notion that they are
plussing-up their contribution ... if indeed that is the case, that would be most
welcome news."
South Korea withdrew more than 200 military medics and engineers from Afghanistan
in 2007 after 23 South Korean Christian missionaries were held captive. Two of
them were killed and the rest released after the Seoul government pledged to
withdraw the troops by the end of that year.
South Korea currently maintains 25 medical civilians at a U.S. base in Afghanistan.
"In Japan's case, they're the second-largest economy in the world; in Korea's
case, a top-15 economy in the world," Morrell said. "There is a certain
responsibility that comes with countries of that power and that wealth, to
contribute to this international effort in Afghanistan. And so we are welcoming
of whether it be additional forces, or money, or PRTs, or expertise. Any and all
would be appreciated."
The spokesman said he did not "recall it being a major subject for the secretary
when he was in Seoul this week," although he added, "Obviously, you know, our
departments talk to each other about things like that."
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in Seoul last week that South Koreans
themselves will make any decision on troop deployments or any other form of aid
to Afghanistan.
Gates, however, also said, "I see a different dynamic and logic to Korea's
international military role today. In the past, deployments were considered
something that Korea was doing for the United States. Going forward, Korea's
international military contributions should be seen as what they are: something
that is done to benefit your own security and vital national interests."
Gates was apparently trying to pave the way for President Barack Obama to raise
the issue when he meets with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul next
month, amid growing pressure by the U.S. military to dispatch 40,000 more troops
to Afghanistan, where the Taliban insurgency is gaining power, despite the
presence of about 68,000 American troops there.
Yu, South Korea's top diplomat, has also said that increased aid to Afghanistan
by South Korea is linked to the stable deployment of 28,500 U.S. troops in the
Korean Peninsula, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Yu made the remarks just days after Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, told U.S. soldiers at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul last
Thursday that discussions are under way about rotating U.S. troops in South
Korea, although he said, "I certainly wouldn't expect this to happen in the near
future."
"The concern that gets raised with respect to rotating forces out of here is that
it lessens the commitment to the alliance and the Republic of Korea," said
Mullen, but he added, "There are regional challenges that we have here, and
actually they are global challenges, so there is no answer to that question yet."
Some analysts believe that the Barack Obama administration may try to reduce its
ground troops in South Korea for possible redeployment abroad after Seoul
reassumes full command of its troops as scheduled in April 2012. That would allow
the U.S. to focus on building air and naval forces on the Korean Peninsula. South
Korea got back peacetime control of its forces in 1994.
Earlier this year, a U.S. Apache attack helicopter battalion assigned to Korea
was sent to Afghanistan to reinforce American forces struggling in the war-torn
Central Asian state.
That triggered concerns in South Korea that the Obama administration may follow
up on the flexible troop deployment drawn up by the previous George W. Bush
administration to make it easier for U.S. troops in Korea to be mobilized to war
zones.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said Monday that it has never discussed a
possible U.S. troop reduction in Korea and that the U.S. government has
reconfirmed its pledge to maintain the number of U.S. troops in South Korea at
the current level.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
