“Realignment of U.S. Second Division Was for a Surgical Strike against N. Korea”

It was asserted yesterday that the realignment of the USFK’s Second Division to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province was made to enhance the “surgical strike” capability against North Korea.

Representative Roh Hae-chan of the Democratic Labor Party asserted at the interpellation session of the National Assembly on unification, security, and foreign affairs this day, “At the first round of the FOTA (Future Of The Alliance) conference on April 2003, the U.S. forces manifested, ‘If state-of-the-art weaponry are introduced along with the C4I system, it will bring about a formidable surgical strike capability. For the enhancement of combat capability, the current position of the Second Division is inappropriate, and a revision of base structure is needed.’”

Rep. Roh stated that the U.S. added, “In order to review (the application of) these new (weapon systems’) assault capability, lethality, and survivability to Korea, it is necessary to review the current positioning of the USFK on the Korean Peninsula.”

If his assertion is true, it is expected to heat up controversy concerning the “Umbrella Agreement” on the relocation of the Yongsan Base and the “Land Partnership Plan (LPP)” submitted to the National Assembly.

Rep. Roh argued, “The inner meaning of the statement that the current position of the Second Division is unsuitable for conducting battle is that the U.S. is trying to pull out its core forces from within the range of the North Korean long range artilleries. If the U.S. takes out the card of surgical strike against the North, Pyongyang will have to react, and the Koreans will be swept into war.”

To this statement, most of the attendees of then FOTA conference denied, saying, “Out of the question” and “There was no such discussion.” One of the attendees who asked for anonymity criticized, “Even if the U.S. may have such thoughts, it is not right, in terms of diplomatic strategy, to assert it publicly. It is an act of instigating public opinion of anti-American sentiment to reject the LPP Revision Bill.” Defense Minister Yoon Kwan-oong also stressed, “Although I cannot discuss about it because it (the content of FOTA conference) is secret, it has nothing at all to do with surgical strike and the realignment of the Second Division.”

However, Rep. Roh stated, “Our argument comes from the transcription of part of the stenographic records of the FOTA conference kept by the government, and it is recorded that ‘the USFK deputy of Planning stated it.’ This stenographic record is a second-class secret.”

Rep. Roh additionally argued, “The current operation plan ‘5027-04’ includes measures to attack particular targets using precision air raid technology and missile defense (MD) against North Korean missile attacks. The operation plan also is prepared under the premise of a surgical strike against North Korea.”

Seung-Heon Lee ddr@donga.com