By Jeffrey Miller
Feature Writer

This is the first in a series of articles on the South Korea-U.S. alliance ahead of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice in July and the 50th anniversary of the alliance in October. Over the next couple of months The KoreaTimes will be examining all aspects of the alliance, its past and present, as well as its future role on the peninsula. Led by veteran writer Jeffrey Miller, who brings years of experience covering the military in South Korea, our team of journalists will provide readers with an in-depth analysis of the alliance and the role that it has played on the peninsula. __ ED.

The South Korea-U.S. military alliance, which has been vital in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, will continue to play a key role in the region, the United States’ top military leader in Koreasays.

``My personal assessment is the alliance will be strong for another 50 years, but we need to look at the alliance and look at it in terms of future demands, not just on the peninsula, but regionally,’’ said Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, Commander of the United Nations Command, the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and United States Forces Korea (USFK), in a recent interview with the Korea Times. ``Our goal is to have peace and security on the peninsula but also to have regional stability.’’

As one of the world’s strongest military alliances, LaPorte emphasized that the South Korea-U.S. alliance, like any relationship, has been based on certain tenets crucial to its role on the peninsula and in the region.

``The tenets that have made this alliance so strong are the tenets of respect, confidence in each other, mutual shared ideals in terms of democracy and the liberties and freedoms associated with the democracy,’’ LaPorte added. ``The alliance has adjusted and been modified over the last 50 years.’’

To be sure, both the U.S. and South Koreaare currently assessing the future of the alliance. Last December, the U.S. secretary of defense and the Korean minister of national defense decided at a Security Consultative Meeting that an alliance initiative study should be conducted. LaPorte said talks between both governments are currently taking place to examine various aspects of the alliance and how it will affect the future of the alliance.

``We are looking at the entire alliance, roles, missions, functions, force structures and command structures, and through a mutual process we’ll come to agreements on all of those issues,’’ he said. ``If changes are required then the two governments will mutually decide on the changes and when they would be initiated and completed.’’

According to LaPorte, the alliance has always been based on a mutual exchange of thoughts and ideas and it is appropriate that this continues. Likewise, he also stressed it is healthy that both governments look at the future of the alliance, especially at the 50th anniversary of the alliance.

``We have taken some initiatives to ensure that the alliance remains relevant in the future,’’ LaPorte said. ``If you don’t reexamine and reaffirm relationships and alliances you run the risk of them becoming irrelevant. We don’t want to look back and rest on 50 years of success. We’ve got to posture ourselves as a combined force for the future.’’

As South Korean and U.S. military forces wrap up a successful joint training exercise this week, LaPorte explained that prior to this annual exercise the media and other parties were informed of the purpose of the exercise to ensure that there was no misunderstanding.

``Because of the tensions around the world we knew that if we didn’t do that and get the word out people would say that we were only doing this because something else that was going on,’’ he explained.

Although these exercises are planned five years in advance, such briefings ensured transparency from the beginning. Not only did the USFK brief the media and ambassadors in Korea, but the North Koreans were also informed of the exercise.

``We wanted to make sure that North Koreadid not misinterpret what we were doing nor miscalculate,’’ LaPorte said. ``One of the things we wanted to ensure is that North Korea realizes that we have a very strong deterrent capability and this exercise was absolutely essential to conduct because it allows us to maintain this strong deterrent capability.’’

As for how the North Korean media reported the exercise, LaPorte said ``they spin it the way they want.’’

Over the past few months, tensions on the peninsula have escalated due to North’s nuclear program, as well as recent missile tests. As such, the threat that North Koreastill poses on the peninsula should not be ignored.

``What people have got to realize is North Koreais a significant military threat. The North Korean people are not, but the North Korean military is,’’ LaPorte said.

In addition to their conventional forces, LaPorte stressed the likelihood of North Korea possessing nuclear capabilities can threaten stability, not just on the peninsula, but worldwide.

``What bothers me more is if they produce weapon grades material what’s to prevent them from selling it to a terrorist organization?’’ he said. ``If they have nuclear material, I believe they would sell it. That’s a tremendous threat.’’

On the relocation of the Yongsan Garrison and other military sites in the greater Seoul area, LaPorte said the relocation of these installations is part of an ongoing alliance initiative study by both countries.

``We would like to reduce the U.S. military footprint and visibility in Seoul,’’ he said. ``We’re looking at a plan which is part of the future of the alliance study where we might relocate these organizations.’’

According to LaPorte, having this many military service members in the capital is inappropriate.

``When we established these bases, we needed to have this physical proximity in order to accomplish our mission,’’ he explained. ``Technology has given us the capability to accomplish our missions probably better by not being located in Seoul. Our desire is to relocate a significant portion of the U.S. service members who currently serve in Seoul to the south.’’

Whatever relocation of sites takes place, some of it will realign with the Land Partnership Program (LPP), but much of it will not because the LPP did not address the Yongsan relocation, LaPorte added. Nonetheless, he said the USFK can leverage and modify the LPP to help with this relocation of the U.S. military out of the capital region.

``No decisions have been made on relocation,’’ he said, ``but I think both governments agree that it would be in the best interests of both nations to reduce the U.S. military footprint and relocate.’’

Since assuming command last spring, LaPorte established a number of objectives that he wanted to focus on to improve the alliance as well as the quality of life for service members serving here. One of his objectives was to create a ``good neighbor’’ program to improve relations between the military and Korean communities.

``We’ve always been good neighbors, but we’ve made a considerable effort over the past six months to become better neighbors,’’ he said. ``We’ve raised the bar quite a bit in terms of our good neighbor program.’’

What his program is intended to do is improve and sustain a healthy relationship between the U.S. military and surrounding communities, the media, universities and the South Korean military. In addition to establishing a Korean-language Web site and hotline, this coming May will be designated Good Neighbor Month. At a dinner scheduled during the month, LaPorte will honor five Korean people who have been good neighbors to the USFK.

``We’re working very hard to make our relationship and our alliance between our two nations better,’’ he said.

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