(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Nov. 7)

On changing U.S. strategy

The United States has decided to keep the headquarters of its Eighth Army in
Seoul, reversing plans to relocate it to Hawaii. Next June, it will also form a
new Korea Command, which will control the U.S. forces stationed here.

The move
aims to minimize a gap in security on the peninsula when wartime operational
control is transferred from the U.S. forces to South Korea in 2012. The U.S.
military wants to reform its units stationed here in accordance with its global
military strategy.
And the new U.S. forces base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, scheduled to be complete in
2015, could serve as an overseas operational hub, a role currently assumed by the
U.S. forces in Japan. By giving strategic flexibility to the U.S. forces in South
Korea, the Pyeongtaek base would become an advance base for the United States in
Northeast Asia.
Given South Korea???s geopolitical location neighboring North Korea and other
regional powers, the new U.S. plans would be beneficial to our security. But
there are some issues to deal with as well. The government must prepare measures
in response to the restructuring of the U.S. military here.
First, there is the fallout from the transfer of the wartime operational command.
In emergencies, the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Commander would control the U.S.
forces here, American reinforcements from overseas and also the South Korean
troops. Up-to-date U.S. military intelligence from around the world and the
country???s combat capabilities would be put to efficient use in that case.
But by shifting the wartime command, South Korean forces would operate separately
from their U.S. partners. That runs the risk of compromising efficiency in the
field. The ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Agreement stipulates automatic U.S.
intervention in case South Korea comes under attack, but that is only on a
theoretical basis. The combined forces command is there to ensure such
protection. In other words, it has real impact in minimizing the possibility of
North Korean provocations. We need measures to prevent weakening of such effect.
The best solution would be to delay the transfer until at least the peninsula
finds peace and stability.
The forming of the new Korea Command would hinder our diplomatic activities in
the future. For instance, the presence of a U.S. advance base here might affect
our relations with China or Russia.
We can???t avoid this possibility as long as we need U.S. troops in the nation,
but still, the government needs to exercise flexibility to keep any negative side
effects to a minimum.
Finally, we must keep the latest move - with South Korea serving as the overseas
base for the U.S. forces - from degenerating into an international controversy.
Some may charge that South Korea will depend entirely on the U.S. armed forces.
We must remember that western European nations and Japan have accepted a similar
role for the sake of national security. We must keep in mind that maintaining and
strengthening our military alliance with the United States is the wisest option
to satisfy our security needs.
(END)