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Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Defense minister nominee says to review inter-Korean military pact from scratch
Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back said Friday he will reconsider a now-scrapped military tension reduction agreement, if appointed, as part of efforts to seek peace on the Korean Peninsula. Ahn, a five-term lawmaker, was tapped as President Lee Jae Myung's first defense minister earlier this month. He is the first civilian defense chief to be nominated in 64 years for the post that has been generally taken by retired military generals. "I believe that dialogue is the most important," Ahn told reporters as he prepares for a parliamentary confirmation hearing. "North Korea is our enemy yet our people. We need to deal with the North in a multitrack approach. The 2018 military pact should be reviewed from the starting point." During his presidential campaign, Lee had said he will revive the now-suspended inter-Korean military tension reduction pact and ensure peace in the border area. South Korea fully suspended the agreement in June last year in response to the North's repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons. Ahn, however, said he will consider various circumstances to seek the "most peaceful approach" rather than restoring the agreement immediately. When asked about how he plans to respond to growing pressure to hike defense spending and speculations over Washington seeking "strategic flexibility" of US Forces Korea, Ahn said he will handle the issues based on the national interest. "I believe we need to cope with such issues in a proactive and positive manner, rather than a passive manner. I will assess where our national interest lies and approach issues in such a proactive manner," Ahn said. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Allies need to discuss Seoul's defense costs beyond current deal: Joseph Yun
Yun expects Lee-Trump summit 'within a short time' South Korea and the United States need to discuss whether Seoul is paying enough, including costs not currently covered under their existing defense cost-sharing deal, the acting US ambassador to South Korea said Tuesday. Joseph Yun, charge d'affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul, said the allies should revisit South Korea's financial contributions beyond the scope of the current Special Measures Agreement. South Korea has financially supported the stationing of around 28,500 US Forces Korea personnel by covering three major parts: labor expenses for USFK Korean workers, construction costs for military facilities and logistical support for military operations under the framework of the SMA. Seoul and Washington finalized the 12th SMA from 2026 to 2030 in October last year. 'But the SMA only covers a limited portion of the costs. If you look at the SMA in the document, there are just three categories. But there are other costs beyond those, and the question is how to share those additional expenses,' Yun told reporters in Korean during a press conference in Seoul. 'We also need to discuss whether South Korea's overall defense spending is enough. That's another issue that should be part of the discussion." Yun defended US calls for allies to meet the global standard of spending 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, citing the US' own unsustainable budget deficit as context. 'We need fairer sharing, and I think that was one of the key reasons why (US President) Donald Trump was elected — and that is the reality,' Yun said in English. Washington urges quick fix to tariff issue Yun explained Seoul and Washington need broader discussion on how to 'modernize the alliance,' which he described as one of two key challenges in South Korea-US relations. Yun emphasized the need for the allies to jointly address new strategic challenges and emerging regional issues, particularly those stemming from competition between the US and China, including how US assets, defense capabilities, and regional forces such as US Forces Korea and US Forces Japan are postured. Another key challenge for the alliance is trade, with Yun calling on the Lee Jae Myung administration to 'quickly deal with US expectations.' 'From the US side, the most urgent issue is to move quickly on tariff negotiations,' Yun said. 'In terms of trade, tariffs are by far the most serious concern, and the US hopes to normalize and resolve the issue swiftly, as that would help stabilize other areas as well.' When asked about a 'one-stop shopping' deal, which would clinch a deal on tariffs, investment and defense all at once, Yun also suggested that the US preferred a phased approach. Trump mentioned a 'one-stop shopping' deal on Truth Social following his phone call with then-acting President Han Duck-soo in April. 'There is no question: while they may be related in terms of narrow substance, they are different, and they are not readily mixed and matched. So my hope — and our hope — is that there can be a framework agreement that includes many of those parts,' Yun said in English, transitioning from Korean. 'We're not going to reach detailed deals in every one of them. So what is important is the framework agreement that includes all of those elements. But of course, for each stream, it may take a while to finally get all the details.' With regard to the first summit between Lee and Trump, Yun said the allies are doing their best to schedule the meeting, though the timing remains uncertain due to both leaders' unclear schedules. 'On the summit, we're working on it, and I would expect we will announce it. But again, it just needs to fit the schedule of both President Lee and President Trump,' Yun said. 'I have no doubt that, within a short time, there will be a summit meeting between President Trump and President Lee.' Denuclearization nonstarter for Pyongyang On the potential resumption of US-North Korea dialogue, Yun said he has no doubt that Trump considers his engagement with North Korea as 'unfinished business and homework.' 'It takes two to tango, and we haven't really heard from the North Korean side whether they, too, want to engage,' he added. When asked if the US should maintain the goal of North Korea's denuclearization, should dialogue kickstart, Yun said the goal would be a non-starter for North Korea. 'That is not a smart way to engage or begin discussions. You must engage smartly, with a path, so that eventually your big goal can be accomplished,' Yun said. 'And certainly, denuclearization is a big goal — but it cannot be put out as a condition for an initial meeting.' Yun, however, clarified that 'the US is not going to recognize North Korea as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.' 'There's no question about that. But is it a country that possesses nuclear weapons? Yes,' Yun went on to say. 'It is a nuclear weapons-possessing state, but we cannot recognize it as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.'
Korea Herald
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Campbell warns substantial USFK troop adjustment will be 'misinterpreted' as reduced US commitment
A former senior US diplomat cautioned against any substantial adjustment to the US Forces Korea troop level on Wednesday, saying it could be "misinterpreted" as a sign of America's weakened security commitment to South Korea and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Kurt Campbell, who served as deputy secretary of state during the former Biden administration, made the remarks, warning against steps that could lead to a "crisis in confidence," as speculation has persisted that President Donald Trump's administration could consider a drawdown of the 28,500-strong USFK to focus on deterring China. "My worry will be that any substantial adjustment will be misinterpreted ... will be interpreted as somehow the United States reducing its commitment to peace and stability, or raising questions about whether the US is somehow withdrawing from fundamental commitments in the Indo-Pacific," he said during a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Campbell voiced his concerns, portraying collective deterrence between South Korea and the US as an "essential" element in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula at a time when he said North Korea is poised to take "much more" provocative actions, including deploying troops to Russia. "The fact is we were able to work hard with our ROK friends to take some steps to buttress and underscore our continuing commitment to extended deterrence over the Korean Peninsula," he said. ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. "I can imagine us taking steps that lead to a crisis in confidence that is very much not in our strategic interest." Extended deterrence refers to the US commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its ally. The former diplomat underscored the need to bolster military capacity in the Indo-Pacific rather than being distracted from it. "For me, one of the biggest questions and challenges is can the US, over time -- not over one administration, but several -- continue to invest the necessary bureaucratic, political, strategic and military resources to make clear that the Indo-Pacific is going to be the dominant theater for the 21st century?" he said. "If you look today at the disposition of our forces, where we are spending a large amount of our time, you would find again that Europe and the Middle East take a substantial portion of those capacities." At the same forum, Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) said that the Trump administration's reported consideration of a USFK troop drawdown is a "perfect" way to derail the Seoul-Washington relationship "at a critically important moment" for the alliance. "I think that the next couple of months are vital to really solidifying US-South Korea relations with these two new leaders," he said, referring to South Korea President Lee Jae Myung and Trump. Kim expressed concerns over what he termed a "neo-isolationism" policy of the Trump administration that he said is reducing alliances to "transactional" relationships. The senator also pointed out that failing to treat US allies and partners differently from adversaries and competitors is a "huge" mistake. "I think that this is something that's causing unnecessary friction between us, and our allies and our partners," he said. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the Pentagon was weighing the idea of withdrawing some 4,500 USFK troops to other locations in the Indo-Pacific, including Guam. A senior US defense official later said that the US is looking to calibrate US force posture in Korea to deter China, apparently leaving open the possibility of adjustments to the USFK presence. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Editorial] Build confidence
Lee should use G7 summit to cement US alliance, free world's trust in Korea President Lee Jae-myung will attend the summit of the Group of Seven advanced countries in Alberta, Canada, from June 15-17. It will mark Lee's debut on the stage of summit diplomacy 11 days after he took office Wednesday. South Korea is not a G7 member state but was invited to participate as an observer. The summit is an opportunity for Lee to start building confidence with leaders of the seven major countries -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Particularly, his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump will be significant. The presidential office is said to be pushing to hold bilateral talks with Trump on the sidelines of the summit. As Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled to attend the summit, a trilateral meeting among leaders of South Korea, the US and Japan could also be held. Lee had his first phone call with Trump Friday night, three days after his presidential inauguration. Trump congratulated Lee on his election victory, according to the presidential office. But considering that Lee's predecessors first spoke on the phone with US presidents usually on the day they won their elections or the day after, the Lee-Trump phone call came exceptionally late. Shortly after the presidential election, the White House said the US remains concerned about and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world. It is uncertain if the US is suspicious of Lee's past remarks about or attitude toward China. Last year, he said something to the effect that the Taiwan Strait issues are none of South Korea's business. The US alliance, together with three-way cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, is the bedrock of South Korea's national security. Lee should reaffirm and further strengthen the alliance. That's also a way to gain the confidence of G7 leaders. Cooperation with the US across almost all areas, including diplomacy, security and economy, is indispensable for South Korea. If trust is weak between the South Korean and US leaders, it will become difficult to find breakthroughs on key pending issues such as defense cost-sharing and trade negotiations. High-level communications are more urgent than ever to prevent mutual misunderstandings and to keep Korea's security environment stable. Smooth communication stems from unshakable trust among leaders. These days, Washington emphasizes strategic flexibility for US Forces Korea. This suggests the possibility of extending their role beyond the defense of South Korea. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the US has focused all its diplomatic, military and economic strategies on checking China. Seoul used to walk a tightrope between Washington and Beijing in seeking to maximize its national interests, but the Trump administration is not likely to condone such behavior anymore. In addition to a possible one-on-one meeting between Lee and Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit, the presidential office in Seoul is reportedly pushing for Lee to visit Washington. The sooner he visits Washington, the better, because there have not been summit communications for quite a long time. South Korea was invited to the G7 summit thanks to the country's elevated international stature. This means that it should live up to the free world's expectations. Lee should assure them that South Korea is on the same side as their countries. In the meantime, the country has been invited to the NATO summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24 and 25. The presidential office said that Lee has not yet decided whether to attend it. NATO is strengthening dialogue and cooperation with its four Asia Pacific partners: South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Some of NATO member states are emerging markets for South Korea's defense and nuclear power industries. Maintaining friendly relations with them could be a shortcut to realizing the pragmatism that the new administration claims to advocate. Lee should positively consider attending the summit.
Korea Herald
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Will S. Korea see 'civilian' defense minister?
One of President Lee Jae-myung's key campaign pledges made during his latest run was to appoint a 'civilian' defense minister, referring to a nominee with zero to brief military experience. His pledge came as several high-ranking military officials, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, are currently on criminal trial on charges of conspiring in insurrection and of abuse of official authority tied to impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed Dec. 3 martial law bid. The position is currently filled by acting Defense Minister and Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho, who took on the role following Kim Yong-hyun's resignation after the martial law bid in early December. Lee kicked off the appointment of members of the presidential office and the Cabinet last week, and all eyes are on who will become the next defense minister amid growing security concerns on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea's advancing nuclear weapons program, coupled with reports of the Trump administration's potential troop cut of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea, has fueled the worries. In South Korea, the position of defense minister has usually been held by a retired four-star Army general or Navy admiral. Of all 50 defense ministers so far, only five held the position without military experience. On top of it, most defense ministers were nominated while in active duty or almost immediately after announcing retirement. Though the moves managed to uphold Article 87 of the Constitution of Republic of Korea, which states that 'No member of the military shall be appointed a member of the State Council unless he (or) she is retired from active duty,' it has been criticized for building a tradition that led to lack of reform within the military. If Lee appoints a 'civilian' nominee, it would mark the first time such a person takes office since May 1961, after former Defense Minister Hyeon Suk-ho, who had no military experience at all, stepped down. Sources close to the matter said that Lee is considering the five-term lawmaker and ruling Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Ahn Gyu-back as a strong candidate for defense minister. Ahn is a former chair of the National Assembly's defense committee and a close aide of Lee. He also led the parliamentary committee probing into Yoon's martial law bid. Though Ahn has completed his two-year mandatory military service from 1983 to 1985, he has no professional military background. Meanwhile, the US law mandates a cooling-off period of seven years between active-duty service and appointment to the Secretary of Defense, aiming to ensure civilian control over the military.
