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A high-ranking government official on Friday responded to an apparent surprise announcement by the U.S. military that it wants to strengthen UN Command -- the U.S.-led international forces guaranteeing the Demilitarized Zone -- with reassurances that it will create no obstacles to inter-Korean cooperation.
The new commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Gen. Burwell Bell, said earlier he wanted to strengthen UNC into a ¡°permanent international alliance.¡± Asked by a reporter about fears that a bigger role for the UNC could hurt inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, the Korean official said, ¡°It¡¯s possible to say so, but the South Korean government does not think the UNC will become an obstacle to inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.¡±
Far from it, the official said. ¡°Inter-Korean reconciliation, exchanges and cooperation are improving, and the UNC will help this to happen within its legal and institutional framework.¡± He said it was ¡°impossible to imagine¡± that the UNC will work against such improvements.
The official said Bell made the remarks because the UNC needs more personnel as opening of roads and railways between the two Koreas will generate more workload for the organization. ¡°As far as we know, Gen. Bell had no other intention,¡± he said. UNC has made an official request to countries that took part in the Korean War and have not sent permanent liaison officers that they dispatch one or two such officers and has consulted Seoul about this, the official said.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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