By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter

Seoul and Washington will have to discuss further reduction of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) sometime in the future, which has just started with the recent U.S. decision to relocate a brigade of 3,600 forces here to Iraq, officials said on Tuesday.

``The USFK is not an exception of the U.S. strategy to realign its forces under the global defense posture review (GPR),’’ a senior government official said on condition of anonymity. ``South Korea and the United States will have to discuss the realignment of the USFK at a certain point in time.’’

The remarks came a day after U.S. President George W. Bush called on President Roh Moo-hyun to reconfirm the Pentagon plan to relocate a brigade from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Infantry Division to Iraq.

A military expert said further reduction of the USFK seemed inevitable given that the two brigades of the division are the main fighting horses and the others, including the air force, are backup forces. ``Gradual reduction of the USFK will be discussed in earnest with proper measures to fill a possible security vacuum.’’

While ascribing the latest U.S. move to its urgent needs due to the worsening situation in Iraq, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon also admitted that the troop relocation was, in part, in line with the Pentagon plan to realign its forces under GPR so they can better adapt to the changing security environment.

In an effort to appease public concerns, Ban said there would be no security vacuum despite the planned shift of U.S. troops to Iraq thanks to the allies’ strong combined defense posture.

``U.S. air and naval forces will be strengthened under a $11 billion three-year U.S. enhancement plan,’’ he said.

The unnamed official mentioned above gave more concrete information on the reinforcement measures.

``The U.S. forces’ air strength will be reinforced by deploying strategic bombers in Guam to cover the Korean Peninsula in addition to the deployment of additional Patriot anti-missile systems until the first half of next year,’’ he said.

The official predicted the brigade to be sent to Iraq in the coming months might not return to Korea even after completion of its mission in the war-torn Middle Eastern country. ``There is a possibility, however, that part of the brigade could return if the situation in Iraq stabilizes earlier than expected.’’

The United States has kept some 37,000 troops in South Korea to deter North Korea’s 1.1 million-strong armed forces, the world’s fifth largest. South Korea has 690,000 troops.


jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr