[imText1]South Korean conservatives are facing a dilemma on wartime command issues.
Although it is in South Korea’s interest to keep the current ROK-US Combined Forces Command (CFC) system, the reality is complicated.
The American attitude on wartime command issues is firm. It is more than welcome for Washington if South Korea demands the command, especially in the post-9.11 international environment.
To the South Korean conservatives, Kim Jong Il’s threat is more dangerous and viable than that of al-Qaida. In the United States’ perspective, however, the spread of WMD by international terrorist organizations is a graver menace to its security while Kim’s threat of invasion is neither urgent nor likely.
Washington puts more significance on Kim’s export of nuclear materials to other terrorist organizations than to the threat of NK invasion to the South. This is the first disagreement between the South Korean conservatives and the United States.
Moreover, American recruitment effort of more soldiers is getting difficult, since the protracted Iraq War. Therefore, in pursuit of strategic flexibility, the U.S. cannot be less reluctant to move the forces in South Korea freely to other places in the world, leaving the wartime command to Seoul.
And finally, handing over the wartime command to South Korea, the U.S. now has justification to require SK more contribution in upkeep expenses of the US Force in Korea (USFK). This is why Washington desires transfer of the wartime command as quickly as possible, quicker than South Korea’s suggestion.
President Roh has made a crucial mistake; Roh approaches the wartime command issue with an ideological (self-reliance in defense) standpoint rather than a rational and practical one.
In this perspective, President Roh is rather serving American interest while sacrificing that of South Korea. Roh seems not to comprehend the real national interest of the Republic of Korea. At least, Roh obviously does not understand proper strategic objective of South Korean national interest.
In a recent TV appearance, Roh expressed his partial point of view of exclusive self-reliance by saying it is ‘unacceptable to keep foreign forces in (South) Korea’s core.’ But the US is not merely a foreign power but a close friend who protected the freedom in South Korea with their blood and sweat. A bilateral security structure through alliance with USA is South Korea’s interest as well. The president sacrifices the national interest because of mere self-reliance.
If South Korean conservatives consider the wartime command issue as a life-and-death struggle, they can criticize American policy.
Former presidents of South Korea have pressed on the U.S. to keep its security commitment; President Rhee Seung Man released North Korean prisoners during the Korean War against American will in order to attain an alliance treaty, and President Park Jung Hee attempted to develop a nuclear weapon to prevent American forces withdrawal from Seoul.
Then what is the role of South Korean conservatives now? To fight against the Americans in order not to end the alliance? Or to beg Washington policymakers?
Presidents Rhee and Park were in power, so they could check the U.S. intention of its weakening security commitment. However, current South Korean conservatives are out of power. And the Roh administration maintains a firm stance. It is not possible to reverse the current wartime command negotiation.
The revision of the wartime command agreement after the upcoming presidential election, if the conservatives return to power, which is very likely to happen, might be another option. Yet, it is difficult to overcome the opposition from the U.S.
Most of the U.S. voters would oppose such change since it would mean more sacrifice of American people in defending the Korean peninsula. And thus, there would be no reason for the U.S. government to be willing to change the wartime command agreement.
Demanding them not to decide on a specific date of wartime command handover is not realistic, since the U.S. has already set their own plan of handover.
Wartime command handover is now in process by both governments in Seoul and Washington. Instead, the conservatives in South Korea need to formulate a realistic alternative security policy to keep the alliance with the U.S.
