Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

06 June 2003

U.S., South Korean Officials Explore Ways to Enhance Security

(Joint statement from June 4-5 meeting in Seoul) (1020)
Defense officials from the United States and Republic of Korea (ROK)
met in Seoul June 4-5 to discuss ways to enhance security in South
Korea.
In a joint statement released following these second "Future of the
ROK-US Alliance Policy Initiative" talks, both sides agreed that their
"fundamental goal is to enhance deterrence and security on the Korean
peninsula and improve the combined defense. ... Both sides also agreed
on the importance of structuring U.S. forces in a manner that further
promotes regional stability."
This includes, according to the statement, "transfer of certain
missions between U.S. and ROK forces." U.S. forces north of the Han
River in South Korea would, according to this plan, eventually
consolidate and move south of the river.
A third meeting to discuss the initiative will be held in the United
States in July.
Following is the text of the statement, as released by the U.S.
Department of Defense:
(begin text)
Result of the Second Meeting of
"Future of the ROK-US Alliance Policy Initiative"
[June 5, 2003]
1. The second meeting of the "Future of the ROK-US Alliance Policy
Initiative" was held in Seoul on June 4-5. Lieutenant General Cha
Young Koo, Deputy Minister for Policy of the ROK Ministry of National
Defense (MND), Mr. Shim Yoon Joe, Director-General, North American
Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),
and Mr. Richard P. Lawless, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense (DASD) for Asia-Pacific Affairs, Mr. Christopher LaFleur,
Special Envoy of the U.S. Department of State (DOS), led their
respective delegations, which included members of the ROK MND and the
U.S. DOD, as well as the ROK MOFAT and the U.S DOS.
2. The first meeting of the "Future of the U.S.-ROK Alliance Policy
Initiative" was held in Seoul on April 8-9.
3. The two sides reaffirmed that the U.S.-ROK Summit between President
Roh Moo Hyun and President George W. Bush in Washington D.C. on May 14
provided the basis for further promoting and developing the U.S.-ROK
Alliance for the 21st century, making the bilateral relationship
closer and stronger as the two nations celebrate the 50th Anniversary
of the Alliance.
4. The two sides agreed on the need to develop detailed plans to carry
out the vision of the two Presidents on modernizing the alliance. They
reaffirmed the relocation of Yongsan at an early date and the
consolidation of U.S. forces in Korea around key hubs, taking careful
account of the political, economic and security situation on the
Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. In this regard, they agreed to begin
work on several important implementation plans with the goal of
completing them by the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in late
September:
--·An Implementation Plan for Capability Enhancement
--·An Implementation Plan for Yongsan Relocation
-- An Implementation Plan for the Transfer of Military Missions
--·An Implementation Plan for the Realignment of U.S. forces in the
ROK
5. The two sides had very productive and in-depth consultations on
major issues for the transformation of the current ROK-US Alliance.
They agreed on a number of items designed to enhance, shape, and align
the Alliance.
6. Both sides agreed that our fundamental goal is to enhance
deterrence and security on the Korean peninsula and improve the
combined defense. The U.S. side reiterated Deputy Secretary of Defense
Wolfowitz's recent statements on the U.S. commitment to improving the
ROK-US Alliance. Both sides also agreed on the importance of
structuring U.S. forces in a manner that further promotes regional
stability.
7. The U.S. side presented a detailed explanation of its plan to
invest in over 150 enhancements to the combined defense, valued at
over $11 billion, over the next four years. Both sides agreed that
this is a substantial U.S. investment in the future of the Alliance
and the security of the Republic of Korea. The ROK side indicated that
it would substantially enhance ROK military capabilities to strengthen
the Alliance. The two sides agreed to detailed consultation between
the ROK and US JCS on transformation of combined forces.
8. The two sides agreed to proceed with transfer of certain missions
between U.S. and ROK forces, in conjunction with the ROK-US combined
capabilities enhancement. Both sides agreed that this is in keeping
with the agreement at the summit meeting that the ROK's growing
national strength provides an opportunity to expand the role of the
ROK military in defending the Korean peninsula. The two sides
reaffirmed their agreement to study possible mid- and long-term
changes to command relationships.
9. In order to support the early movement of U.S. forces currently
located in Yongsan out of Seoul and the overall realignment of U.S.
forces in Korea, to include those north of the Han River, both sides
agreed that the ROK government would start procuring appropriate land
in 2004. Once the implementation plan is finalized selected facilities
can be returned in the first year. The consolidation will take a
number of years and proceed in two phases. Under the first phase, U.S.
forces north of the Han River will consolidate in the Camp Casey and
Camp Red Cloud area. In phase two, U.S. forces north of the Han River
would move to the key hubs south of the Han River. The two sides
agreed to sustain a U.S. military rotational training presence north
of the Han even after the completion of phase two.
10. The two sides agreed to hold a ROK-US Defense Ministerial Talk in
Washington D.C. soon to consult on follow-up measures to the ROK-US
Summit and the recent visit by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul
Wolfowitz on enhancing, shaping and aligning the Alliance.
11. Assessing that the second meeting has contributed to further
strengthening the ROK-US alliance, the two sides agreed to hold the
3rd meeting in the U.S. in July.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)