In the Event of a Crisis, the U.S. Will Independently Evacuate Americans in Korea

Several high ranking officials from the U.S. Defense Department and the State Department participated in the recent Ulji-Focus Lens, a joint military drill of South Korea and the U.S., and actively discussed rescue and relief operations in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula.

They reportedly reviewed an independent evacuation plan for Americans residing in Korea, which now attracts much attention to its background.

The attending officials to visit South Korea for the drill (Aug 22-Sep 2) include 10 experts from the U.S. Defense Department and the State Department, including Wesley Clark, the former NATO Commander, according to a source on September 7.

In particular, relief experts from the U.S. Defense Department held an intensive meeting with South Korea on matters related to rescue and relief operations in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula and also were known to have mentioned an independent evacuation plan for Americans living on the peninsula.

Officials from the drill said that compared to the previous year, the rank of attending officials was higher and the discussion regarding a crisis was very specific. Some pointed out that South Korea needed to pay attention to the fact that the U.S. showed its intention of conducting some of its operations independently.

In this regard, a new forecast is coming out, saying that the U.S. may perhaps include a new strategy regarding the Korean peninsula in its ongoing Quadrennial Defense Review, which is scheduled to be released as soon as late this year. The analysis observed that the U.S. might intend to take control over major operations, including military measures, in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army Space also participated in the drill, serving to sense missiles from North Korea, provide satellite communication and three-dimensional maps, and measure the precision rate of precision-guided weapons, according to the U.S.-based Defense News on September 6 (local time).

The Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) which participated in the drill served to receive data from the U.S. Air Force missile warning satellite and then processed them to allot to ground forces. This is a warning system especially designed to deter North Korea’s ballistic missiles, one of the biggest threats in the event of a crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S. Army Space will also serve to provide satellite communication between the U.S. Forces Korea and decision makers in the U.S., according to the Defense News.

Jung-Ahn Kim Young-A Soh credo@donga.com sya@donga.com