Tighter security ensures national development

By Jung Sung-ki

Staff reporter

Even for many of the former and incumbent U.S. commanding generals and enlisted soldiers who have served in South Korea, the names of Korean military leaders might largely be unknown or a dim image at least. But the name of Paik Sun-yup, the country's first four-star Army general who fought major battles during the Korean War 60 years ago, is well-known and part of vivid memories.

As such, Paik, who led all the major campaigns during the 1950-53 war, is literally living history, in light of all the famous generals and people that he has interacted with over the past six decades and his incredible combat experience during the fratricidal war that has divided the Korean Peninsula.

In an interview with The Korea Times on May 25, a month ahead of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the war, the 90-year-old war veteran, who served as the ROK Army Chief of Staff twice during and after the war, recounted his experience with details and reiterated the importance of the support from the U.S.-led U.N. forces during the war.

"Defending South Korea would have been impossible without the help of the U.S." Paik said. "The United States played a decisive role, though 20 other nations also thankfully sent their combat troops and provided medical support. About 80 percent of the finances and equipment came from the U.S."

The U.S. military's ground, air and naval support was decisive in deterring communist forces' takeover of the peninsula, he added.

Washington dispatched about 1,790,000 troops, sailors and airmen to the peninsula during the 1950-53 Korean War and suffered 137,250 casualties, including about 37,000 killed in action, according to government data.

Besides the United States, 20 other coalition forces under the U.N. flag participated in the war to fight alongside South Korean troops against the North Korean military backed by communist China. About 3,700 non-U.S. allied troops were killed.

About 138,000 ROK soldiers lost their lives during the war, while nearly 25,000 are listed as missing in action.

"Since the Armistice Agreement was signed in July 1953, the United States has continuously and successfully served as a deterrent against North Korea's stated aim of unification under communism," said the Paik, who now serves as chief advisor to the government's commemoration committee for the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the war.

"The ROK-U.S. alliance is stronger than ever before after both governments have reconciled differences in their alliance partnership incurred during the 10 years of the previous liberal governments," Paik said.

Wartime command transfer

Paik expressed the hope that the planned transition of wartime operational control of South Korean troops from the U.S. military to the ROK armed forces in 2012 would be delayed strategically in an effort to cope with the lingering and more apparent threat of North Korea.

Paik and other retired military leaders have called on Seoul and Washington to delay the timing of wartime command transfer before the ROK military secures independent defense capabilities enough to thwart the North's 1.1-million-strong army.

He referred to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a classic example showing the need of an alliance for mutual defense. NATO constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its 28 member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The United States is included in the European Union-led organization.

"The European nations and the United States maintain the NATO structure not because they don't have power to defend themselves but because they want a strong alliance," Paik noted. "Without strong allied forces, security could be fragile. Few nations in the world can defend themselves alone."

Wartime command is thus not a matter of who takes or loses the leadership role in military operations, he stressed. The ROK military's capability is currently as strong as other military powers in the world but it is necessary to be developed further under the U.S. security commitment, including a nuclear umbrella, said the veteran.

South Korea voluntarily handed over both peacetime and wartime operational controls to the U.N. Command after the outbreak of the Korean War. The authority was later transferred to the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) led by a four-star American Army general.

Seoul retrieved peacetime control of its forces in 1994, while the CFC commander still has the authority to command both South Korean and American troops in the case of war.

In 2007 during the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration in pursuit of a "self-reliant" military, Seoul and Washington agreed that South Korean commanders will execute independent operational control of their armed forces during wartime beginning April 17, 2012, after disbanding the CFC.

Ups and downs

Looking back on the prolonged war, the former Army commander cited two extreme situations - the northward advance of U.N. coalition forces from the Busan perimeter after the landmark Incheon landing operations in September 1950 and the subsequent confrontation with a large number of Chinese troops at the height of the triumphant northward advance of the friendly forces a month later.

"I vividly remember the moments when the North conducted a surprise attack on the South on June 25, 1950, and the bitter fighting at the village of Dabu-dong in South Gyeongsang Province to preserve the defensive line, the Busan perimeter," said Paik, who had led the ROK 1st Division as a brigadier general at the time under the command of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division.

The friendly forces succeeded in preventing North Korean forces from taking the town, the road to Daegu, a major South Korean city and former provisional capital.

Incheon landing

"After successfully defending the perimeter, Gen. Douglas MacArthur led the Incheon landing and recaptured Seoul, turning the tide of the war," he said. "That was one of the most impressive moments during the war. Without the success of the Incheon landing operations, Kim Il-sung would have taken over the South."

Paik continued, "I thought we would win the war and achieve reunification very soon afterwards," as the U.S. 2nd Corps had already been at Shinuiju passing through Pyongyang. "But unfortunately, the Chinese entry into the war made us retreat again and fight fierce battles for two years."

Paik was the first person who recognized the participation of Chinese troops in the war. About 920,000 Chinese forces were injected into the war, launching a series of deadly offensives against U.N. forces till the summer of 1951.

"We were first hit by a surprise attack by Chinese troops near the Cheongcheon River. That was the most regrettable moment. We really thought reunification was nearing," he said. "We retreated southward and fought fiercely against the communist allied forces for two years back and forth between the 38th parallel, so we could secure this territory."

'Freedom is not free'

Wrapping up the interview, Paik expressed his gratitude to the foreign war veterans and their governments on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the war.

"Not even an inch of territory we have now was for free. It was earned by the blood and sweat of South Korean and U.N. soldiers," he said. "On behalf of South Korean war veterans, I'd like to offer my deepest appreciation for the allied forces' solemn sacrifice, which helped transform a war-ravaged South Korea into the economic power it is today with one of the most flourishing democracies in place in the world."

On a more personal note, Paik expressed thanks to former U.S. President Eisenhower and Gen. MacArthur for having laid the groundwork for the ROK-U.S. alliance.

He also praised the sacrifice of the men under his command and the hundreds of thousands of unknown soldiers who fought for freedom.

"Freedom is not free," the Korean War hero answered to the last question: "What is war?"

"It's costly," he noted. "Achieving freedom requires sacrifice and contribution. I hope our people will have a stronger sense of national security because that's the path toward the development of our nation."

Born in South Pyeongan Province, now part of North Korea, in 1920, Paik Sun-yup is the most decorated military officer in the country, with his career culminating in his command of South Korean ground troops during the 1950-53 Korean War. After graduating from Mukden Military Academy in Manchuria, Paik became an officer of the Manchukuo Imperial Army and served as part of the Gando Special Forces during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945). He participated in operations to combat communist guerrillas in Jiando, eastern Manchuria. He joined the Japanese campaign on northern China for 10 months in the mid-1940s. After the end of World War II, he fled to the South and was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Constabulary, the predecessor of the ROK Army. When the Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, Paik, then an Army colonel, was assigned as commander of the 1st ROK Army Infantry Division in charge of defending Seoul and western frontline areas. Paik was soon promoted to brigadier general. The U.S.-led coalition forces and Paik's troops were pushed back to the vicinity of the southeastern port city of Busan in August. But they successfully withstood North Korean attacks and defended the last bastion, the Busan perimeter, before Gen. MacArthur's historic Incheon landings, which turned the tide of the war. During the move northward, Paik's division under the U.S. I Corps became the first to enter Pyongyang on Oct. 19th. In April 1951, he became a two-star general to lead the ROK I Corps in charge of the eastern region of Korea. In July, he was named to represent the ROK military at truce talks but failed to attain desirable results. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1952 and subsequently took charge of the ROK II Corps. In July 1952, he was named the Army rmy chief of staff before becoming a four-star general in January 1953. After the war, Paik formed the 1st ROK Army Command in 1954. He was re-named Army chief of staff in 1957 and also served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He retired from the military in May 1960. He was appointed ambassador to Taiwan in 1960, to France in 1961, and to Canada in 1965. From 1969 to 1971, he served as minister of transportation. Paik's military decorations include two awards of the Taeguk Medal, the country's highest award, as well as seven U.S. medals, including a Silver Star and four Legions of Merit. He will receive the Van Fleet Award from the New York-based Korea Society June 2 in honor of all Korean War veterans. The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to the promotion of U.S.-Korea relations. A Korean War hero, Paik currently serves as president of the Association of the ROK Army. He also works as advisor to the Institute of Military History Center affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense, as well as a member of an advisory group of retired military leaders. Paik is the author of "From Busan to Panmunjeom: Wartime Memoirs of the Republic of Korea's First Four-Star General, Paik Sun Yup."