Seoul to refocus military reform back on North Korea threat

East-Asia-Intel ^ | 5/19/2010 | East-Asia-Intel

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

South Korea's conservative government is expected to drop the Defense Reform 2020, a long-term military project crafted by the previous liberal leadership.

In the first meeting of the Commission for National Security Review, organized following the sinking of the warship Cheonan in march, President Lee Myung-Bak ordered his Cabinet to review Defense Reform 2020 to better counter threats from the hostile communist neighbor.

Defense Reform 2020 was adopted by former President Roh Moo-Hyun, who pushed for reconciliation with the North. It was designed to make South Korea's military less dependent on the United States and called for a reduction of South Korea's troops and a bigger military role beyond the Korean peninsula.

Roh had also agreed to re-gain wartime operational command of South Korean troops in April 2012 to reduce its reliance on U.S. forces.

The new Commission for National Security Review meeting was held after Seoul uncovered evidence implicating North Korea in the March 26 attack of a patrol near the tense border that left 46 sailors dead. Lee said his government has found "indisputable evidence" that the North was responsible.

Lee said the attack "re-awakened South Koreans to the reality that there is the world's most belligerent state armed with long-range artillery just 50 kilometers away." The incident also reminded South Koreans that "a threat that shatters our prosperity and stability can come in a way we cannot imagine," he said.

At the commission meeting held in an underground bunker inside the presidential house, Lee instructed the government to "fundamentally reassess external threats" and map out measures for the overall reform of the military. "I think we need to resolve everything from the Defense Reform 2020 so that it can be suitable to reality," he said.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

I bet if Bush had been in the whitehouse during this incident, the moonbats would of claimed this was an inside job to get the south koreans to ditch the 2020 program.

But since Obama is in the whitehouse, its the predictable dead silence from the left on this matter as they will continue to claim restraint against their beloved communist brothers until more proof of intent was obtained. Plus they throw their favorit buzzword around alot, “alleged”.

[Tamar1973]

I believe that Pres. Lee should reconsider scaling back the ROK's forces, but I still believe it's a good idea for him to stick to the goal of gaining operational command of South Korean troops in April 2012 to reduce its reliance on U.S. forces.

Anything he can do to lessen the ROK's dependence on the decisions of our current POTUS would be help the ROK in the long term.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

President Lee should increase ROK forces along the border and becommore confrontational with North Korea. North Korea has been allowed to get away with murder for too long

[piytar]

“Defense Reform 2020 was adopted by former President Roh Moo-Hyun, who pushed for reconciliation with the North.”

Hmm, sounds a lot like the obamanation’s efforts to appease the islamists, communists, and basically every other thugocracy on the planet.

Or should I say “join up with” instead of “appease”?

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Roh Moo-Hyun was also a big believer in the “Sunshine Policy”.

[Tamar1973]

Roh Moo-Hyun was also a big believer in the “Sunshine Policy”.

Which he inherited from Kim Dae Jung, but even Kim Young-Sam (KDJ's predecesor) was starting to be nicer to NK, so Roh had the precedent set by two prior administrations to work from.