Rumsfeld Says Decision on Size and Role of Dispatch ‘Up to Each Country’


By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said on Monday that it is up to Korea how many soldiers it will dispatch to Iraq and what role they will assume, adding that his government will respect whatever decision Seoul makes.

``It is up to each country,’’ he said about Seoul’s troop contribution during a joint press conference with Defense Minister Cho Young-kil after their annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the ministry building. ``We respect whatever decision this government makes.’’

Chong Wa Dae officials said that they considered Rumsfeld’s remarks to mean that the U.S. was in agreement with Seoul’s proposed dispatch of 3,000 soldiers that would be primarily concerned with furthering the reconstruction work already underway in Iraq.

``We (ROK and U.S.) agreed on this issue,’’ a senior Chong Wa Dae official said, adding that the two countries will conduct consultations on how to comprise the ROK contingent. Rumsfeld later visited Chong Wa Dae and, during his meeting with President Roh Moo-hyun, expressed his appreciation for Seoul’s decision to send additional troops to Iraq.

However, experts say that Rumsfeld merely abided by diplomatic niceties. ``He made a diplomatically correct answer,’’ a U.S. expert said.

Neither the written joint communique, nor verbal statements of the two defense chiefs in the subsequent press conference provided answers as to whether the two long-time allies had reached any concrete agreement on the role and size of the troops going to Iraq.

Washington wanted Seoul to send more than 5,000 soldiers for stabilization efforts on top of the 400 engineers and medics already in Iraq. Showing reluctance to become overly involved in Iraq, Seoul presented a plan of sending no more than 3,000 _ mainly non-combat troops for rehabilitation work. Korea’s concession was that the contingent would be a ``regional’’ one taking care of a certain area, with just enough combat troops to ensure the zone’s security.

According to an official who attended the one-day security meeting, Korean officials explained their plan to the U.S. delegation. But, the top U.S. defense official only repeated his position that Korea is a sovereign state and should make its own decisions.

``Secretary Rumsfeld expressed his appreciation for President Roh Moo-hyun’s decision to provide both additional forces in Iraq and $260 million in reconstruction funds from 2003 to 2007,’’ Minister Cho said during the news conference.

The two defense chiefs also confirmed an earlier agreement to relocate the headquarters of the allies’ combined military command out of Seoul by 2006, but failed to concur on details.

Seoul and Washington agreed earlier this year to relocate U.S. frontline troops and the Yongsan Garrison, the 8th U.S. Army’s 320-hectare headquarters in the center of the Korean capital, to Pyongtaek and Osan by 2006, but they have yet to work out details, including whether a small number of U.S. troops will remain at the border. The U.S. has reportedly demanded a large tract of land, more than 30 percent of the total, to serve as a base for up to 1,000 personnel. Seoul finds this difficult to accept.

``The two countries share general views, but there are still some issues that need to be ironed out,’’ Cho said. ``We will continue to consult with each other so that the issue can be concluded by December this year.’’

Rumsfeld, who is visiting Seoul for the first time since taking office nearly three years ago, met President Roh at Chong Wa Dae in the afternoon.

Highlights of Joint Communique

▲ U.S. expresses appreciation for Seoul’s additional troop dispatch.

▲ ROK, U.S. sides unable to conclude Yongsan Garrison relocation agreement.

▲ U.S. reaffirms commitment to $11 billion military force improvement program.

▲ U.S. endorses previous accord transferring certain military operations to ROK forces.

▲ ROK, U.S. share concern on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

▲ ROK, U.S. urge North Korea to take advantage of 6-party talks.