The top commander of US troops in the Republic of Korea (ROK) said on Wednesday he supports moves to withdraw some outposts along the fortified border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), despite the risks.
ROK defense ministry has said it plans to reduce guard posts and equipment along the demilitarized zone on its border with the DPRK as part of efforts to reduce tension and build trust with its northern neighbor.
"I have some concerns about what that means militarily for the ability to defend along the Military Demarcation Line,” US General Vincent Brooks told reporters on Wednesday.
Commander of the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea, General Vincent K. Brooks speaks during a news conference in Seoul, ROK, August 22, 2018. /VCG Photo
But he said that the risk is “a reasonable degree” and the move represents a good opportunity to reduce tensions.
Meanwhile, the US and the ROK kick off a two-day negotiation on Wednesday, seeking to narrow differences over covering the cost of US troops stationed on the peninsula, Yonhap reported, citing officials.
About 28,500 US troops are stationed in the ROK, a legacy of the Korean War, which ended in 1953 in an armistice that left the DPRK technically still at war with the ROK and the US-led United Nations command.
Besides serving as the commander of those troops, Brooks also commands UN forces, and in the case of war, would take command of ROK troops as well.
A ROK soldier stands at a checkpoint near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the DPRK and the ROK, on Ganghwa island, May 24, 2018. /VCG Photo
Brooks also said that his troops are finding “other ways” to maintain readiness in the absence of major military drills, which were canceled or delayed by US President Donald Trump as part of a deal with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.
"I received no order to become unready," he said. "Nobody told me to stand down." When Trump announced the plan after his summit with Kim in Singapore in June, a spokeswoman for US military forces in Korea said at the time they had not received any direction to cease joint military drills.
When asked on Wednesday if he had advance warning of Trump's June announcement, Brooks said as a commander in the field he had no expectation that he would be briefed on the president's plans.
"Orders come in many different ways," he said. "So for a military commander it’s not a matter of debate, it’s a matter of implementation."
Brooks did not elaborate on how his command had adjusted to the changes in military exercises.
He credited the military presence in the ROK with "successfully" setting the stage for this year's diplomatic talks with the DPRK, and said he supports maintaining pressure on the DPRK to prevent it from "backing up" on diplomatic steps.