Korea Crisis - Military Options
President Bush has labeled North Korea part of an axis of evil -- a rogue state intent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction and thus posing a threat to the United States and its allies. Mr. Bush has since made it increasingly clear that he wants to see a change of government in Korea. The president says he has not decided on any specific course of action or timetable.
While the Administration had initially been unwilling to argue that the North Korean regime could be removed or its threat to regional stability minimized by the use of force, revelations in October 2002 concerning the DPRK's nuclear capabilities has resulted in a reapprisal of the situation.
On February 7, 2003 President Bush stated that "all options are on the table" to resolve the crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, though diplomatic options would explored fully.
The United States had a considerable force stationed in South Korea to supplement the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA). Prior to 2004 there were roughly 37,500 total personnel in South Korea comprised of some 27,500 soldiers, nearly 8,500 airmen, and a small number of sailors and Marines. With the deployment of one brigade to Iraq, the total declined to about 32,500, including 22,500 Army soldiers.
In addition to one brigade [formerly two brigades] of the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea the 8th Army has access to a brigade set from Afloat Prepositioning Squadron 4.
In early February 2003 the Pentagon announced that 24 heavy bombers, twelve B-1Bs and twelve B-52s, had been put on alert to deploy to the region to deter any North Korean actions. By early March all of those bombers had been deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
In late February the United States began shifting forces to Korea in preparation for Reception, Staging, Onward movement, and Integration [RSOI] and for the Foal Eagle exercise which take place at roughly the same time (and generally is called RSOI/FE). The exercises were scheduled to begin on March 3 and run to the end of March. Roughly two battalions, a mechanized infantry battalion and an armor battalion, of the 1st Infantry Division were deployed to South Korea to participate in the exercise, as was a squadron of F-15E's from Alaska. Additionally, six F-117s from the 49th Fighter Wing were dispatched to Kunsan Air Base.
The crisis with Iraq and the significant deployment of forces to that region caused the 8th Army to announce a stop-movement order in February that prevented soldiers from rotating out of Korea back to the United States.
Following the completion of RSOI/FE the Army and Air Force assets that had been deployed to the region were ordered to remain in Korea. By late May there had been some indications that the two battalions from the 1st Infantry Division would be returning to the United States though it was unclear if or when the aircraft sent to Korea would also return.
Tensions between with North Korea increased when four North Korean fighter jets intercepted a U.S. Air Force plane in international airspace over the Sea of Japan early 02 March 2003, Defense Department officials said. Two North Korean MiG-29 fighters and two other North Korean aircraft believed to be MiG-23s engaged an American RC-135S reconnaissance aircraft on a "routine mission" 150 miles off the coast of North Korea. The North Korean fighters "shadowed" the American plane for 22 minutes starting at 10:48 a.m. local time -- Saturday evening Eastern time.
By June 2003 the prospects for military action had greatly subsided. At that time, the heavy bombers deployed to Guam, as well as other strike aircraft, were recalled to their state-side home bases. And by mid-2004 the prospects for military action seemed so remote that the United States announced plans to withdraw one of the two maneuver brigades of the Second Infantry Division, though the road home went through Baghdad.
