By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter


Rep. Roh Hoe-chan of the progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) claimed Thursday the planned realignment of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is based on a U.S. plan to launch surgical strikes against North Korea.

Speaking in a parliamentary interpellation session on security and foreign affairs, Roh asserted the plan was codenamed ``OPLAN 5027-04,’’ which was first revealed by North Korea in August when it accused the U.S. of preparing to attack the North with high-tech weapons.

``High-tech weapons together with improved C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence) of the USFK will bring a huge increase in the potential of `surgical strikes’,’’ Roh quoted a senior U.S. official who participated in the ROK-U.S. military talks in April, 2003, as saying.

``A new OPLAN will add a new form of combat capability to the conventional one, which can be expected to improve the capacity to wage war,’’ Roh said, quoting the U.S. official and suggesting the new plan was OPLAN 5027-04. ``The current location of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division is not a proper place for conducting war (against North Korea).’’

The OPLAN 5027-04 includes a U.S. plan to strike specific targets with sophisticated weapons, which have recently been used in the war in Iraq, and also covers the U.S.’ Missile Defense system to counter possible missile attacks by North Korea, the 48-year-old lawmaker said, citing a U.S.-based security institution, Global Security.

The first term lawmaker went on to say that OPLAN 5027-02, drawn up after the 9/11 incident, also contains a plan to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and to pre-emptively attack North Korea without consulting the South Korean government.

On Sunday Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported that as part of U.S. scenario ``5027,’’ which is produced every two years, 25 jet bombers flew simulated missions at an air force base in North Carolina to drop mock nuclear bombs on a firing range in Florida between January and June 1998.

``The relocation of the USFK is a part of Washington’s new military strategy known as the Global Defense Posture Review (GPR),’’ Roh continued. ``It is outrageous for the South Korean government to insist that the relocation has nothing to do with the GPR.’’

Roh stressed that the U.S. should bear all the expenses regarding the USFK relocation, saying it is part of Washington’s GPR plan.

``South Korea should reconsider the Seoul-Washington agreement regarding the relocation cost of the USFK to ensure sufficient discussion between the two parties, which will also help resolve the North Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful way,’’ Roh said.

yoonwonsup@kroeatimes.co.kr