Seoul wants to take control of its military away from the US....

[Gloria]

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


3//The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea Octorber 14, 2005 KST 06:24 (GMT+9)

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200510/12/200510122249383439900090309031.html



SEOUL ASKS FOR RETURN OF WARTIME COMMAND



The Roh Moo-hyun administration took another step yesterday in its push to regain wartime control of the Korean military. That effort has been a major part of Mr. Roh's drive for military self-reliance; he has suggested that foreign control of his nation's troops in wartime was demeaning to Korea. He last spoke publicly on the issue in a speech to commemorate Korea's Armed Forces Day earlier this month.



The Blue House spokesman, Kim Man-soo, announced yesterday that the administration has asked the U.S. government to begin discussions on changes to the current wartime military command structure here. Under the current procedures, the Combined Forces Command, headed by an American four-star general, would direct the operations of both U.S. and Korean troops if hostilities broke out.

"The government proposed the idea at the Security Policy Initiative meeting at the end of last month," Blue House spokesman said yesterday, speaking of a U.S.-Korea military forum. He said the two governments had begun a study of the concept in January 2004, and that the study would serve as the basis for negotiations leading to a change.



It was not clear, however, what Seoul wants to replace the current system. Unless the intent were to try to repel an attack on Korea by two forces under two different commands, the only alternatives would be a dual command structure or the subordination of U.S. forces under Korean command.

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[shenmue]

1. Oh jeez

Even more people ticked off at us...good...