13 March 2003
U.S.-South Korea Alliance Will Endure, U.S. Commander Says
(Gen. LaPorte before Senate Armed Services panel March 13) (500)
By Jane Morse
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- The alliance between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the
United States will endure, despite recent tensions, says the top U.S.
commander of military forces on the Korean Peninsula.
"The Republic of Korea-United States alliance has weathered challenges
for over 50 years, and this partnership will continue to endure,"
General Leon J. LaPorte told the Senate Armed Services Committee in
prepared remarks March 13.
LaPorte is the commander of the United Nations Command, Republic of
Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, and the United States
Forces Korea. Some 37,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines
and 5,700 civilian employees work under his authority.
The General noted that while anti-Americanism was highly evident
during the ROK presidential elections, anti-U.S. forces demonstrations
have "virtually disappeared" since December 2002, when President Roh
Moo-Hyun was elected.
"Through our Republic of Korea-United States Status of Forces Joint
Committee process," LaPorte said, "we identified ways to improve
implementation of the 2001 Status of Forces Agreement." He added that
the "prompt and comprehensive actions" of the committee have been
successful in addressing the concerns of many South Koreans -- such as
vehicular safety and convoy operations, which were implicated in the
death of two young Korean women last year.
The U.S.-ROK alliance, he said, can be improved by "closely examining
the roles, missions, capabilities, force structure, and stationing of
our respective forces."
"We have an opportunity to revitalize the alliance in constructive
ways that enhance this mutually beneficial partnership while ensuring
peninsula and regional security," he said.
The United States and the Republic of Korea have begun the process of
"redefining" the alliance, LaPorte said. The focus is on future roles,
missions, functions, structure, and stationing of troops, he
continued. Discussions between the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the
ROK Minister of Defense, according to LaPorte, will ensure that the
alliance has the "right balance" for the future, including life after
the reconciliation of North and South Korea.
On North Korea, LaPorte said the dangerous dictatorship of Kim Jong-Il
continues to threaten the peace, security and stability of all
northeast Asia.
"North Korean brinksmanship ensures that the Korean Peninsula remains
a place of palpable danger, illustrated by North Korea's unprovoked
attack on a Republic of Korea patrol boat in the West Sea on 29 June
2002 and North Korean efforts to develop highly enriched uranium
nuclear weapons," he said.
"North Korea continues to flagrantly violate its international
agreements resulting in increased regional tensions," LaPorte added.
"The Republic of Korea and United States forces continue to face the
possibility of a high intensity war involving large conventional
forces and significant weapons of mass destruction."
The entire text of LaPorte's 29-page prepared testimony can be found
on the Senate Armed Services Committee's website at:
http://www.senate.gov/~armed_services/statemnt/2003/March/LaPorte.pdf
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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