In the Oct. 30 editorial titled, "Silence on OPCON," the South Korean government's decision to put off its takeover from the United States of what critics describe as "military sovereignty" is depicted as "dereliction of duty" by President Park Geun-hye, who remained mum Wednesday on this issue during her budget speech in the National Assembly.
Almost no South Koreans would oppose the nation's standing on its own feet in defense as South Korea's defense and foreign policy has been influenced by its crucial ally, the United States, to the extent Seoul has relied on Washington for deterrence against North Korea's aggression. So, why does the President, along with top military cadres, remain reluctant to retake the OPCON, effectively discarding an opportunity to demonstrate national pride in formulating and implementing autonomous defense policy?
The editorial points out that the nation's defense budget is twice greater than the North's GDP, suggesting that the South Korean military is capable of coping with any military threat from the hostile northern neighbor.
In my view, two factors appear to be at play in delaying wartime OPCON transfer. First, with the snowballing fiscal deficit and household debt, the government can't afford to allow for an increase in defense budget that will inevitably follow when it regains the wartime OPCON. It is all the more so especially when President Park already made it clear that there is no tax increase. Without increasing direct taxes, including income and corporate ones ― not the indirect taxes, like ones slapped on tobacco and residence, the government will not be able to foot the bill for a defense budget increase which should be used in the future in strengthening military surveillance capability. The nation's military is now heavily reliant on the United States for military intelligence, without which the nation hardly knows what's going on in the North.
Second, the South Korean military itself is a big obstacle in the OPCON takeover as the transition requires changes in the military that will be made to beef up the Navy and Air Force _ a shift that the army-centered bloated military bureaucracy finds to be not palatable. The reinforcement of the Navy and Air Force will require a huge amount of money, and a sweeping overhaul of the over-expanded army, along with reformulated defense strategy. These changes, above anything else, need a strong, unwavering commitment of the nation's commander-in-chief, the President, which we don't have.
In conclusion, without increasing taxes which will be used to upgrade the military, retrieving the wartime OPCON as scheduled could lead to compromised national security with the Korean military falling in the dark about the North's movements. Without long-standing, robust commitment of the President, defense reform that should accompany the OPCON takeover is inconceivable. The government's decision to delay the takeover has long been sufficiently predictable, nothing new to me.
Almost no South Koreans would oppose the nation's standing on its own feet in defense as South Korea's defense and foreign policy has been influenced by its crucial ally, the United States, to the extent Seoul has relied on Washington for deterrence against North Korea's aggression. So, why does the President, along with top military cadres, remain reluctant to retake the OPCON, effectively discarding an opportunity to demonstrate national pride in formulating and implementing autonomous defense policy?
The editorial points out that the nation's defense budget is twice greater than the North's GDP, suggesting that the South Korean military is capable of coping with any military threat from the hostile northern neighbor.
In my view, two factors appear to be at play in delaying wartime OPCON transfer. First, with the snowballing fiscal deficit and household debt, the government can't afford to allow for an increase in defense budget that will inevitably follow when it regains the wartime OPCON. It is all the more so especially when President Park already made it clear that there is no tax increase. Without increasing direct taxes, including income and corporate ones ― not the indirect taxes, like ones slapped on tobacco and residence, the government will not be able to foot the bill for a defense budget increase which should be used in the future in strengthening military surveillance capability. The nation's military is now heavily reliant on the United States for military intelligence, without which the nation hardly knows what's going on in the North.
Second, the South Korean military itself is a big obstacle in the OPCON takeover as the transition requires changes in the military that will be made to beef up the Navy and Air Force _ a shift that the army-centered bloated military bureaucracy finds to be not palatable. The reinforcement of the Navy and Air Force will require a huge amount of money, and a sweeping overhaul of the over-expanded army, along with reformulated defense strategy. These changes, above anything else, need a strong, unwavering commitment of the nation's commander-in-chief, the President, which we don't have.
In conclusion, without increasing taxes which will be used to upgrade the military, retrieving the wartime OPCON as scheduled could lead to compromised national security with the Korean military falling in the dark about the North's movements. Without long-standing, robust commitment of the President, defense reform that should accompany the OPCON takeover is inconceivable. The government's decision to delay the takeover has long been sufficiently predictable, nothing new to me.
Kim Keon Yeong
statesman0607@gmail.com
