Comments on: Troop Cuts in USFK to Continue

By: Korean Government Denies Cost Sharing Deal Reached with USFK

Korean Government Denies Cost Sharing Deal Reached with USFK — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:40:57 +0000

[...] it just me or has the Korean media made it a habit of misquoting General Bell in Korean press releases? General Bell is now saying that if the Korean government does not [...]

By: The Captain’s Journal » 2nd Infantry Division Deploys to Iraq - No, Not Really!

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:10:54 +0000

[...] 2ID in Korea. Drop by and read his post until it makes you rather sick. Okay somebody give me a Hanchongnyun head band: A proposed southward relocation of U.S. frontline troops in South Korea will be delayed for about [...]

By: 2nd Infantry Division Relocation Delayed Until 2015

2nd Infantry Division Relocation Delayed Until 2015 — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:38:08 +0000

[...] Okay somebody give me a Hanchongnyun head band: [...]

By: Kalani

Kalani — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:29:49 +0000

This is the second time in recent weeks that the USFK has been misquoted — and the USFK has shouted, “lies, lies, lies” — but only after the USFK allowed sufficient time for a stir to develop in the press and for all the blogs to start blathering. I’m starting to wonder if the “sources on condition of anonymity” being quoted by the ROK media aren’t actually being fed misinformation by the USFK. It seems to me that it is advantageous to the USFK to play the same game as the ROK media — selective misinformation.

And please don’t tell me that the USFK always tells the truth when it denies things. In the past, some of its denials of news reports have come true. The USFK plays politics just like everyone else — and attempts to shape public opinion. I support the USFK but I’m a big boy and don’t believe all the b.s. that comes out of the USFK mouth.

The reason I’m SPECULATING about this is that all this troop level halt/decrease and rotational unit hysteria is playing on Lee Myeong-bak’s wish to renegotiate the wartime control. However, the big bone of contention of cost-sharing still has NOT been resolved. It needs to get straightened out before the next Oct 2008 Security Consultative Meeting (SCM). All this talk gets the ROK populace thinking on how much do they really want the US in Korea — and how much are they willing to pay for it. The ROK Ministry of Defense knows the real situation and it ain’t that bright without the support of the USFK.

Under a new President, this cost-sharing formula bugaboo needs to be resolved. Now that the Conservatives are going to take control — atleast after the April elections — the USFK will be playing hardball. No equitable share of costs, there will be cuts in ROK workers; no monies to provide for the anticipated housing for USFK troops on a three-year tour, there will be fewer troops all the way around. You can make up your own scenarios. Bottomline is that the cost-sharing needs to be resolved before the Yongsan move.

All this misinformation, cranks up the hysteria in the ROK media and gets the ROK populace looking realistically at their situation. Ding dong the witch is dead (Roh), but all the flying monkeys are still loose (activist groups).

Again I’m one of those asshole speculators that Gen Bell lashed out against. But I’m just wondering…

By: OK, So US to Continue Troop Cuts | The Marmot's Hole

OK, So US to Continue Troop Cuts | The Marmot's Hole — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:31:10 +0000

[...] Korea, meanwhile, is afraid that in the even of, ahem, regime change in Washington, the new bosses might look to bolster US troop levels in Korea: My worst fear is that if a Democratic president takes over and starts withdrawing troops from [...]

By: Cloying_odor

Cloying_odor — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:14:36 +0000

Word on the street is that the ROK government is dragging it’s feet providing money for the Humphreys expansion.. causing a work slowdown due to lack of funds. Wonder how far they can push that before they are in violation of the aggreements already set down.