In consideration of the upcoming Inter-Korea Summit, the South Korean government made a decision to postpone the annual Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL) exercise until October. In response, foreign affairs experts criticize that this decision may reduce the power of the military and incite cracks to the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
This year was the first time the government had planned to conduct Hwarang exercise and Chungmoo exercise, which are the independent military exercise, during the period of the UFL exercise, a joint military exercise. The field maneuvers of Hwarang exercise is conducted in a large scale involving 3 corps and more than 100,000 soldiers. The operation is designed to evaluate procedures for the Korean-U.S. combined military forces.
Military experts speculate that by postponing the exercise and therefore prioritizing with the North, a gap may be incited between the South Korea-U.S. alliance even though the U.S. may not be displaying any direct acts of disapproval.
One researcher from a national policy institute who wishes to remain anonymous said in a telephone conversation with the DailyNK, “Even though the UFL exercise may only be a routine drill, it is an exercise which aims to improve combat measures from high ranking military decisions to the performance of subordinate divisions.”
Further, the researcher said “Operations must be made swiftly and accurately, and above all it is most important that the exercise is conducted” and asserted, “Inevitably, there is a problem from the position of training if only military operations are being postponed.”
[imText1]Song Dae Sung, a committee member of the Sejong Institute said, “The strongest fighting power can only be maintained when cyber, internal and external training is systematically enforced without failure” and criticized, “Problems inevitably arise when exercises that need to be initiated at the designated time are not enforced and postponed like the recent exercise.”
Mr. Song said, “In military training, there is mechanical power such as weaponry. Nonetheless, there is also man power” and added, “Training without breaks is critical in elevating military skills. However, when drills are postponed and training is not conducted properly, ‘man power’ incurs obstructions.”
In particular, experts worry that the postponement of the recent exercise will not only affect the South Korea-U.S. joint military training but also incur problems to the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
The researcher of the national policy institute said, “The U.S. revealed on the 10th that it hoped that the UFL exercise would be carried through indifferent to the summit talks. This could be viewed as a sign that the U.S. deeply trusts the relationship between the Korea-U.S. alliance” and remarked, “There is a problem to the recent decision as the government consoled North Korea as priority over the fact that Korea-U.S. military exercise is a critical factor in upholding the Korea-U.S. alliance.”
He said, “The government’s explanation that there would be no problems in postponing the forces command is nothing more than wordplay” and added, “It will be difficult for the U.S. to accept the fact that the military exercise was one-sidedly postponed.”
Mr. Song said, “In the end, the recent decision which prioritizes North Korea is no different to consoling the enemy over the ally” and criticized, “Ultimately, problems may arise between the Korea-U.S. alliance.”
[imText2]On the other hand, Kim Hee Sang, a former presidential aide for Defense, said, “As a security measure, the postponed Hwarang exercise may be considered a peripheral defense exercise in the rear” and explained, “The UFL exercise has not been reduced nor cancelled but merely postponed. Hence, it is believed that no major issues should affect the military power or performance.”
“Nonetheless, it is not acceptable to postpone the military exercise in consideration of North Korea for the preparations of the Summit Talks” he said and recommended, “Throughout the past, the exercise duration has been reduced and the fundamental meaning behind this drill diminished. At the least in October, the exercise must be initiated properly.”
Further, he said, “The fact that the U.S. government expressed hope in the Inter-Korea Summit talks being of assistance to the Six Party Talks is in the end, circumstantial evidence that the South Korean government has not provided much help in resolving the North Korea nuclear issue” and added, “U.S. expectations on the South Korean government has already reached a collapsed state. This decision could further accelerate a crack in the Korea-U.S. alliance.”
