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The outgoing commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, Gen. Leon LaPorte, on Friday called on supporters of the Korea-U.S. alliance to speak out. LaPorte made the appeal during a ceremony at Collier Field House in the Yongsan Garrison to hand over command to his successor Gen. Burwell Bell. LaPorte warned the alliance faced difficulties ahead in both countries from those who think it has served its purpose and those who benefit from cracks in the relationship.
He said there was no need to get overly exercised by criticism or public discussion but urged people who care about the alliance and think of soldiers ¡°as our joint defense team¡± to speak out clearly.
LaPorte¡¯s leaving remarks are seen as a departure from the line he has taken during his three years and nine months in the post that he is not worried about the alliance since it is based on a solid relationship. Some say the general took the opportunity of the handover to vent frustrations he concealed during his tenure as chief of Combined Forces Command.
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Peter Pace, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff passes the UN Command flag to incoming Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Gen. Burwell Bell, who takes over from Gen. Leon LaPorte (right), during a ceremony at the Yongsan base in Seoul on Friday.
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Gen. Bell in his speech denied that recent restructuring in the combined forces was a sign of a deteriorating alliance. The innovations would in fact make the alliance stronger and more capable, he said. Bell made special mention of former chief of general staff Baek Seon-yeop, the author of a book titled ¡°From Busan to Panmunjeom¡±, calling him ¡°a hero in the minds of everyone who loves freedom in many corners of the world.¡± Bell described Baek as a ¡°true soldier¡± and a politician who contributed greatly to building the Republic of Korea.
Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung and the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace also attended the ceremony together with Adm. William Fallon, the head of U.S. Pacific Command, Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Lee Sang-hee and some 1,000 other government and military figures from both countries.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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