Seoul sees no impact from Pentagon cuts

By Kim Young-jin

South Korea said Friday that the United States’ plan to slim down its military would have “no impact” on U.S. forces here, allaying concerns it could affect the ability of the allies to respond to threats from North Korea.

Some experts, however, raised the possibility that the strategy unveiled earlier in the day could cause Washington to reduce the size of reinforcements to the peninsula in the event of a contingency in the North, saying it was something for Seoul to carefully consider.

The reactions came after U.S. President Barack Obama earlier called for a “leaner” military as Washington prepares for deep defense cuts over the next 10 years and projections of an era of austerity.

Despite the cutbacks, Obama stressed his commitment to the Asia-Pacific region at a time of regional concern over China’s growing military clout, suggesting the U.S. was likely to maintain current troop levels in the area.

Officials here said they were informed of the plan earlier this week.

“We support the U.S. defense department’s recognition of South Korea and other allies as keys to security in the Asia-Pacific and its commitment to strengthening security cooperation in the region,” Lim Kwan-bin, deputy defense minister for policy, told reporters. “South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to closely cooperate with each other as the strategy is being put into practice.”

The U.S. has 28,500 troops stationed here as a deterrent against the North, with which the nation is still technically at war.

Washington has yet to release specific figures, but officials say overall personnel could be cut by 10 to 15 percent over the next decade under the Budget Control Act that requires defense cuts of $487 billion during that time frame.

Such prospects prompted defense analysts here to say Washington would likely reduce possible reinforcements in the case of contingency in the North and that troops here may face redeployment to other international missions.

The allies have developed a contingency plan, dubbed Operation Plan 5027, under which the U.S. would dispatch nearly 700,000 troops, 160 destroyers and 2,000 airplanes from bases in the U.S., Japan and Guam.

Lim said the troop reduction plan would not affect contingency plans here as the U.S. would draw from its reserve forces when the need arises.

Analysts were split over whether the strategy was cause for the South to look into how it could influence joint operations. Some cautiously said Seoul could use the opportunity to look at contingency plans and the transfer of wartime operational control scheduled for 2015. Others said it was too early and close consultations over the plan were needed with Washington.

Deputy Defense Minister Lim said the plan would serve as “strategic guidance” for the military and that it was inappropriate for South Korea to further comment at this time.