The Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Gen. Burwell Bell participates in a news conference at a U.S. army base in Seoul on Monday.

The Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Gen. Burwell Bell on Monday expressed hope that a concrete decision on the timeline for the return of wartime operational control to Seoul is made in early 2007.

In a meeting with reporters at the Yongsan base command center, Bell said in order to carry out the roadmap toward a new command relationship, it was agreed that a joint planning team be assembled. Bell expects the group to finish plans by the first half of 2007, by when he said a timetable for the handover should have been hammered out.

The commander said he hoped for good results before then so the timetable will be settled. A timetable is crucial to ensure that the responsibilities of Korea and the U.S. are clear, he said. Korea and the U.S. have agreed that the handover is to take place between 2009 and 2012, their respective target dates.

Bell said Korea would be provided with the protection of the U.S. nuclear umbrella and guaranteed “extended deterrence” under the Mutual Defense Treaty, and every means will be available to respond to an attack. The general expressed hope of a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear crisis, but added if there is a failure to deter and North Korea attacks the South, the allied Korean and U.S. forces would be able to repulse any threat.

Asked about reports in the U.S. press that Washington is preparing plans for a preemptive attack on North Korea, Bell said Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command was preparing no such plans but plans to increase deterrence were in the works. On Korea’s participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative to intercept North Korean ships, Bell said he had no authority to speak on the matter, and emphasized the PSI is a diplomatic matter and therefore has nothing to do with the duties of the CFC.

(englishnews@chosun.com )