By Forget Incheon Landing re-enactments, the US Marines want to conduct a full blown amphibious landing exercise with the ROK Marines:
The U.S. military has proposed holding a major troop-landing exercise involving more than 10,000 U.S. and South Korean marines in November, according to a report Monday.
It was put forward by Gen. Walter Sharp, who commands 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea, to demonstrate joint military capability in the face of communist North Korea, the Yonhap news agency said.
However, Seoul isn’t enthusiastic about the proposal as it believes a large- scale drill could further chill relations with the reclusive regime in Pyongyang, which have worsened since South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took power in February, it added.
U.S. and South Korean military officials refused to confirm the report.
A South Korean defense ministry spokesman said both sides are yet to set a date for an exercise or the number of troops to be involved.
Yonhap said Sharp made the proposal during a visit in July to South Korea’s marine corps command, and had already ordered the temporary redeployment of a Marine unit from Japan for the exercise.
“Gen. Sharp said the countries needed to demonstrate to North Korea that their combined forces are well capable of conducting such a large-scale amphibious operation,” a military source was quoted by Yonhap as saying. [Wall Street Journal]
I recommend everyone read Kalani’s comment on this but it will be interesting to see first if the ROK Marines have the capability to pull this exercise off successfully and secondly if the ROK government has the will power to conduct this exercise that the North Koreans will assuredly find offense with. Looking into my crystal ball, I could see the North Koreans provoking a naval fight along the maritime DMZ to try and kill a few ROK servicemembers during this exercise if it happens. They have done it before.
I’m sure the Korean left would pounce on such a confrontation to blame the Lee Myung-bak administration for the deaths due to agreeing to hold the exercise. The Korean left blamed the Lee Myung-bak administration when the North Koreans murdered a South Korean tourist so why wouldn’t they blame them for such an attack as well? These are the possibilities the Lee government would have to be prepared to respond to if they agree to this exercise. Is it any wonder why it appears the Lee government isn’t to enthusiastic about holding such a large exercise?
3:30 pm on September 16th, 2008 1
As per my past experience & knowledge, I would say this…the ROK MC does NOT have the capability, knowledge, experience, vision, to pull off a Full-blown amphibious landing. Most, if not all of their landings are fully supported by the USN/USMC and have the ROK MC "Piggy-backing" as bacically observers and passengers. Their level of understanding does not go up to a MEU, Division or MEF level of understanding about amphibious landings, nor do they have the ships, landing craft, or specifically trained personnel to conduct amphibious landings. Perhaps this is a result of depending on the U.S. for too long, or it might just be arrogance on the part of both political & military ROK leaders.
While I have had some memorable training experiences…and some NOT so memorable, the ROK military overall…when compared to a lot of militaries that I have trained with over the decades, ranks right up there, but I would venture to say only up to the company level…after that they do tend to trip over their own feet.
3:49 am on September 17th, 2008 2
There is no way to manage the kind of irrationality you're talking about. I don't doubt that the Korean left is as irrational as you describ them, but If the South Korean president is seriously going to make his decisions around predictions of what might spew from some rabid bed-wetters with protest signs, he should just resign his presidency right now. This is the kind of approach that made Newt Gingrich the colossal failure that he is.
12:33 pm on September 17th, 2008 3
With Kim Jong Il on his death bed, and his current consort and previous secretary Kim Ok coming to power, it would be best to postpone any landing until the situation clarifies itself. That may take a year or so, but who needs to spend the extra money at this time.
2:26 pm on September 17th, 2008 4
Luke remember 2MB did not take into consideration what the Korean left would do when he signed the beef deal and look what happened. It is the same thing with this possible massive amphibious landing exercise, the Korean left can demagogue it as 2MB trying to provoke a war with North Korea.
If 2MB approves this exercise he has to have an in depth plan to fight the propaganda that from the Korean left that will come up unlike what his administration did in regards to signing the US beef deal.
4:32 pm on September 17th, 2008 5
What we have here are two different agendas "conflicting" — but not necessarily in conflict. What I mean is that the USFK sees that after the 2007 Foal Eagle experience of still having to "train" the ROK Marines in amphibious landing techniques with the 31st MEU, it is still at the top of the list of "things to do" to meet the 2012 USFK deadline for OPCON transfer.
However, the ROK is finally coming to grips with transforming Plan 5029 from a CONCEPT PLAN which Roh downgraded it to back up to an OPERATIONAL PLAN tailored for the ROK OPCON transfer. However, the North as of mid-September still wants to talk with the South so the doors for dialogue are still not completely slammed shut. Though the ROK knows it needs to get its Marines up to speed on amphibious landings (still using the US Army/Navy ships/equipment as the backbone of the operations), the timing just isn't quite right.
Thus Lee Myeong-bak may opt for a 2007 Foal Eagle type LIMITED participation of the ROK Marines though the USFK would prefer a FULL dress rehearsal. For example load up the latest ROK K-2 tank on a US LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) for a photo-op session, but don't expect to see streams of ROK Marines charging the beaches.
At the same time, try to remember that from 2005-2007, the USFK landings have been hampered by demonstrators and the USFK has been very careful NOT to exert itself. The Marines were under strict orders to not come in conflict with protestors or provoke any dissent. While Roh was in office, Foal Eagle became VERY political. But now it is a different time. Regardless if the ROK Marines participate fully or not, I would expect the USFK side to perform a FULL exercise — with the ROK KNP arresting with "extreme force" any protestor showing up to cause trouble. The USFK needs to check off the block that it can SUPPORT the ROK if a DPRK invasion did occur.
I would anticipate a limited ROK participation, but only for a photo op session type landing. Hopefully, though a full US landing would take place to be able to check that block off the books. Questions I have: does the Marines still have the 24-hour arrival time that they demonstrated with the fast-ships four years ago? Are the facilities that the CBs have been working on for three years ready to support the troops? Are all the support plans for the ROK still valid?
I have no doubts that the 31st MEU can demonstrate that they can get the job done — the USFK only needs it on the books and the blocked checked off to move on to other tasks. How the ROK can get up to speed can be worked out at a later date. To me there is no sense of urgency to get the ROK up to speed immediately — and it is their problem, not the USFK's. The USFK's problem is to get the checklist blocks signed off in preparation for a 2012 OPCON transfer.