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The fighting strength of the U.S. Forces Korea has dwindled by 23 percent since 1998, a lawmaker said Thursday. Thus it slashed the number of F-16s, the primary fighter jets deployed in Korea, from 76 to 60, contrary to popular understanding that reductions focused on ground forces.
Song Young-sun, a member of the National Assembly's Defense Committee, submitted materials that indicate USFK manpower has decreased 8.1 percent, ground forces 18 percent, air power 42.7 percent and ammunition 23.5 percent, over the last seven years, leading to an overall reduction of 23.1 percent. Song's analysis based on full-strength USFK manpower and equipment data suggests forces strength has fallen from 37,000 to 34,000.
In other air power reductions, the number of AH-64 attack helicopters has thinned from 70 to 50, and the number of UH-60s and other transport choppers from 200 to 70. As for ammunition, ground forces supplies decreased from 550,000 tons to 420,000 tons, naval supplies from 1,800 tons to 200 tons, and air force supplies from 17,000 tons to 15,000 tons.
Ground equipment also shrank, with the number of M-1 tanks decreasing from 140 to 120, and the number of M-2 and M-3 infantry fighting vehicles from 180 to 100. Stinger missile teams have been reduced from 36 to 25. This is the first time specifics of the reductions have been made public.
But the number of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems has increased from 50 to 60, and the number of A-10 ground attack planes from 20 to 25. ¡°USFK reductions could cast doubt on the U.S. will to carry out its security commitment to Korea and diminish its deterrent capacity on the peninsula,¡± Song said.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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