By It looks like we can pretty much forget about the 2012 Operational Control hand over:
The top U.S. general on the Korean peninsula will lead a major U.S.-South Korean military exercise this summer instead of a South Korean general, disrupting a critical benchmark in the preparation for the South to assume wartime command of its troops in less than two years.
A Ministry of Defense spokesman said the change is the result of questions raised about the South’s ability to respond to a North Korean attack following the March sinking of a South Korean warship. U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Walter Sharp will lead the Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercise.
“We are adjusting UFG to better account for provocations and threats we see coming from [North Korea] today,” USFK spokeswoman Col. Jane Crichton said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes.
A South Korean-led multinational investigation into the March 26 sinking of the Cheonan concluded the ship was split in two by a torpedo launched by a North Korean midget submarine near the disputed Yellow Sea maritime border between the two countries, killing 46 sailors. North Korea has denied involvement.
Sharp, who also commands the Combined Forces Command, decided two weeks ago to lead the exercise following a “coordinated decision” between the two countries, Crichton said.
A South Korean commander has led the exercise for the past two summers. [Stars & Stripes]
You can read more at the link, but at this rate I think we are more likely to actually see Yongsan Garrison move before the Operational Control is ever handed over. The Korean government is obviously committed to playing delay games.
You can read more about my thoughts on the Operational Control issue here.
1:00 am on June 19th, 2010 1
Delaying OPCON Transfer is something to be decided by 2MB and BHOb. It is safe to say that the ROK JCS are pretty screwed up right now due to the cascade of personnel changes caused by the CJCS' resignation and all of the other firings. They can't possibly lead UFG so soon.
2:31 am on June 19th, 2010 2
I got news for you. They never intended to relieve control, nor ever leave Korea, in the first place.
3:46 pm on June 19th, 2010 3
News for you Tom, the Japanese, Chinese, and Russians have been and are more than willing to fill the void if the New Roman Republic ever got booted out or were forced to leave due any reason. If you want the Korean tongue to exist for 5,000 years more than you should be in favor of the friendly whale staying within being beached in the peninsula.
5:19 pm on June 20th, 2010 4
Why does everyone start thinking the SK's somehow caused this? There is no current delay planned, the US will lead this next exercise because their will be new scenarios put into it. Its no longer a test the waters exercise for the ROK's but an actual rehearsal for NK aggression.
6:03 pm on June 20th, 2010 5
#4 The intricacies of Geopolitics and military alliances and strategy are hard for most everyone to completely wrap their head around. But (without mentioning any names) there are some who would have difficult pouring piss from a boot with the instructions printed on the bottom.
9:14 pm on June 20th, 2010 6
#4, when I see the operational control hand over happen I will believe it. The Korean government has already called for a delay. The resignation of their top brass is something I would not be surprised to see the ROK government try to milk in order to delay the 2012 hand over.