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Although North Korea launched the missiles last month, South Korea is intensifying efforts to lay out a roadmap in October for taking over wartime operational control of its troops from the U.S. Is that the fruit of the ¡°independent diplomacy¡± advocated by Roh Moo-hyun administration for the last three and a half years?
Prof. Han Sung-joo of Korea University, who served as the current administration's first ambassador to the U.S., in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo said the Korea-U.S. alliance has reached a point where complete healing will be difficult. The interview was recorded on July 31 and Aug. 4.
Thirteen former defense ministers recently raised concerns about taking back wartime operational control. If Korea exercises sole wartime control, what would become of U.S. Forces Korea and Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command?
Since there will be a command each in charge of Korean and U.S. troops, the only option will be cooperation, similar to the current U.S.-Japan alliance structure. But contrary to that, Japan is on its way to unifying its command with that of U.S. -- an inevitable move since Korea has asked the U.S. for more rope and Washington has to consolidate military ties with Japan.
What becomes of Korea¡¯s status in the international arena during the last three and a half years?
Seven countries other than the members were invited to the G8 summit of industrialized nations in July. Korea was not among them, making it clear that the international community sees no need for a South Korean leader to attend.
When you resigned as U.S. ambassador in December 2004, you rated the Korea-U.S. relationship as ¡°B.¡± How do you rate it now?
I would hardly give it above C+. The U.S. seems intent on giving back wartime operational control and promoting cutbacks or withdrawal of the USFK: the Korea-U.S. alliance is on its way to weakening or dissolving.
What do you think is the reason for the weakening of Korea-U.S. alliance and the isolation of Korea in the international arena.
It¡¯s because of loudhailer diplomacy, whereby North Korea's assertion that its nuclear arms and missiles are designed as a deterrent is ¡°reasonable,¡±according to the president, and that the U.S.¡¯ N.Korea policy ¡°failed most¡± when Pyongyang fired the missiles, pace the unification minister. Such remarks, which have been increasing recently, do little to solve the problem.
Is there any comment you want to make on Roh¡¯s security views?
I think the thought that North Korea wants to have nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction because of security worries and it will willingly give them all up is quite remote from the reality.
Some pundits say the so called independent faction¡¯s win in early 2004 over the alliance faction in Korean diplomatic circles caused the current situation.
Korean diplomacy didn¡¯t change because the independent faction won. It was because the president shared the thinking of the independent faction that the conflict arose in the first place.
Some in Cheong Wa Dae have coined the slogan ¡°Pro-Americanism and Independence,¡± for the wartime operational control and the free trade agreement between two countries.
Considering the personnel and atmosphere at Cheong Wa Dae, the phrase isn¡¯t surprising. Since the will for an FTA with the U.S. was rather a surprise, we¡¯ll see how strong that will is and how long it lasts.
Could an improved relationship with China be an alternative to the Korea-U.S. alliance?
If Korea uses China as something of a counterweight toward the U.S., or confronts Japan in alliance with China, two results will follow. If things go well, we will be used by China, and if things go badly, our position toward China will weaken. Japan is trying to advance its relations with China, so Korea could be isolated.
Is there any way to heal the alliance and ease security concerns?
We should try, but the complete healing will not be easy. In many cases, the U.S. has pretended to not to hear and smiled, but [the barrage of barbed remarks] builds up.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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