Korea Security Meeting Filled with Hope, Realism
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 21, 2000 -- The Korea-U.S.
Security Consultative Meeting held here is starting to
address changes in the region resulting from the engagement
between South and North Korea.
Defense Secretary William S. Cohen and South Korean
Minister of National Defense Cho Song-tae assessed security
on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia during their Sept.
21 meeting. Both said hope grows from the Inter-Korean
Summit June 13-15, but both also said the U.S.-South Korean
alliance must remain strong.
"Fifty years after the outbreak of the Korean War, the two
Koreas have begun a process to replace confrontation with
cooperation and fear with friendship," Cohen said during a
post-meeting news conference.
"We pledged to maintain a strong defense posture and close
coordination on North Korea policies with a view to
enhancing inter-Korean relations and joining our efforts
for future changes on the Korean Peninsula," Cho said. He
noted the June summit would not have been possible without
the strong defense provided by the U.S.-South Korean
alliance.
Cohen called the summit momentous and said he hoped the
dialogue leads to a lessening of military tensions along
what is often called "the last Cold War border." But North
Korea maintains robust chemical, biological, nuclear and
long-range missile programs, he said. He urged North Korea
to abide by international conventions banning the
production, possession and use of these weapons.
Cho said the United States and South Korea would set up a
commission to study the security implications of the Korean
rapprochement. Cohen said he expects U.S. service members
to remain in the country for the foreseeable future.
Both ministers addressed ongoing negotiations over the
U.S.-ROK Status of Forces Treaty. The United States has
Status of Forces Agreements with about 80 countries. Among
other things, SOFAs govern who has jurisdiction when U.S.
service members commit crimes.
Korean officials want their SOFA to give them more
authority over U.S. service members accused of crimes.
Cohen and Cho said they were pleased by the progress of the
negotiations. U.S. officials expect the SOFA to be ready by
December.
The Security Consultative Meeting also highlighted the Land
Partnership Plan. Under this, U.S. Forces Korea will work
directly with the Korean government to consolidate U.S.
units and installations. This would mean a substantial land
return to the Korean government. While the plan pre-dates
recent demonstrations against some U.S. ranges in South
Korea, its implementation may address the protesters'
concerns, USFK officials said.
It is an exciting time to be in Korea, Cohen said. But
change can bring danger -- it is the yin and yang, a
concept featured prominently on the Korean flag. The
consultative meeting reaffirms the bedrock of the U.S.-
Korean alliance.
"No one can come to Korea today without being excited about
the hope of further benefits from reconciliation," Cohen
said. "But no one can leave Korea without an understanding
that our combined forces must remain ready and vigilant --
and I assure you, they are that."
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