Lt. Gen. Charles C. Campbell, USFK chief of staff, announces plans to lay off 1,000 Korean USFK workers due to frozen bilateral cost-sharing negotiations, at a snap press conference Friday. Seoul Is Beginning to Reap What It Sowed Gov't Perplexed at USFK Staff Cuts Announcement Union Threatens Industrial Action Over USFK Layoffs Seoul Cuts Share in USFK Upkeep Korea, U.S. Squabble over Footing USFK Bill Korea-U.S. Military Budget Talks End in Failure

U.S. 8th Army Commander Lt. Gen. Charles C. Campbell told a snap press conference Friday the measures were necessary because the amount of cost-sharing agreed on between Korea and the U.S. does not meet the USFK cost requirements for things such as Korean civilians working on U.S. bases.

Campbell's announcement, coming without prior consultation with Seoul before cost-sharing negotiations are officially concluded, is being read as an expression of dissatisfaction with Korea. Experts say the press conference could be related to alarm in Washington over a recent new doctrine in Korean foreign policy whereby the country aims to play the role of a balancer in the region away from the traditional regional "camps".

Campbell was careful to say his remarks were "a coordinated and U.S. government-approved statement," making clear they reflect Washington's position.

He also said the USFK planned to phase out 20 percent of support contracts for things like construction over the next two years. Some 12,500 Koreans work for the USFK.

Talking about stores of ammunition, tanks and armored vehicles pre-positioned on the Korean Peninsula for an emergency, Campbell said it would become necessary "to alter the amount and composition of combat equipment currently planned for our pre-positioned program. We are analyzing additional measures we may be forced to take to meet our operations and readiness requirement." This could directly affect the country's defence capability in an emergency.

But he added the U.S. government would continue to pay military-related costs, which are directly tied to the number of U.S. troops stationed in Korea. He also ruled out the possibility of further USFK cuts, saying, "Our previous agreements on U.S. troop strength remain in effect."

(englishnews@chosun.com )