THE ROK-U.S. ALLIANCE: A PARTNERSHIP IN TRANSFORMATION
	Alexander Vershbow
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Speeches and Transcripts THE ROK-U.S. ALLIANCE: A PARTNERSHIP IN TRANSFORMATION Alexander Vershbow U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Remarks to the Korea Defense and Security Forum Korean War Memorial, Seoul September 13, 2007 General Kim Jae-chang, Professor Kim Dong-sung, distinguished guests and friends: Thank-you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. I am especially glad to see friends from the National Assembly, Representatives Yoo Jae-gun and Kim Myung-ja, and some other familiar faces from the Ministry of Defense and the USFK. I can’t think of a more appropriate place to talk about our great Alliance than this beautiful museum, which is a solemn tribute to thousands of years of Korean history and military traditions. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the contributions our hosts have made in advancing relations between the Republic of Korea and the United States across a broad spectrum of issues. As a career military officer, General Kim has dedicated a lifetime to melding our respective security capabilities into a formidable deterrent against any provocation from the North. Professor Kim has also been a tireless proponent of the U.S.-ROK Alliance as President of the prestigious Korea Research Institute for Strategy, as Policy Advisor to the Ministry of Unification, and of course as Co-Chairman to the Korea Defense & Security Forum (KODEF). We all owe them a big debt of gratitude for their contribution to the Alliance. You have asked me to share my perceptions of the U.S.-ROK Alliance through the lens of security-related issues. Simply put, our military partnership is truly remarkable ?one of the most successful military alliances in history. It has fulfilled its founding mission, keeping the peace on the Korean Peninsula, for more than a half century. At the same time, it has seen unprecedented transformation in the years since its inception, in step with changes in Korea, the region and the global security environment, and promises to be even more effective in the future. In order to consider the substantial promise that lies ahead, however, we must first assess the state of our partnership at present, against the backdrop of our past accomplishments. By acknowledging how far our Alliance has come, we can appreciate the strength of our current relationship ?one that has transformed from a security pact between nations with vastly disproportionate military capacities into a thriving alliance that embodies a more balanced sharing of responsibility reflecting Korea’s prodigious economic and technological advancements. With this in mind, we can better understand the potential benefits for our two countries in the future as we continue to deepen and modernize our security partnership. The Alliance ?Different Cultures but Common Values When our two countries signed the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1953, no one really thought that it would last into the 21st century. Or that over 50 years later, it is as strong as today. This Alliance has withstood the challenge of a bloody civil war in Korea, the Cold War, and tremendous political, economic and social upheavals in this region and throughout the world. It is one of the greatest achievements of the post-World War II era. How is it that our Alliance has emerged not only unscathed but strengthened from these challenges? How can we explain the durability of a strategic partnership that enabled Korea to transform itself from a war-torn backwater to the world’s 11th largest economy and a global leader in technology, industry and culture? The key to the Alliance’s success lies in the values we as Koreans and Americans share. Among the most fundamental values shared by the people of our two countries is a belief in economic liberty, in entrepreneurship. We both like to compete. And we believe that hard work will be rewarded. This is why we now have over 78 billion dollars in trade, an unimaginable sum when we officially became allies back in 1953. It is also what led us together to create the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which will lead to expanded trade and faster economic growth for both our countries. When the FTA is ratified and goes into force, it will create opportunities not just for large corporations, but also for small- and medium-sized businesses to enter the global marketplace. It will offer Korean and American consumers a wider choice of goods at lower prices, and it will provide a safe and reliable regulatory environment for entrepreneurs and investors. Perhaps even more fundamental than economic freedom is our shared commitment to protecting and enjoying personal freedoms. It’s no secret that Koreans, like Americans, cherish the value of free speech and the principles of democratic, representative government, without which the Korean economic miracle could not have flourished. Korea’s thriving democracy is an example to the world that freedom and prosperity go hand in hand ?in fact, they are mutually reinforcing. And fueling this development has been a deep Korean appreciation of education and desire to improve oneself through scholarship. Of course, these same values are reflected in Americans?belief in self-reliance and pursuit of what is often called “the American dream.?One need only browse the campuses of America’s finest universities and colleges to recognize that Americans cannot lay claim to this aspiration as ours alone; the great influx of Korean students into our educational system underscores the emphasis on education that our two cultures share. This is what makes the Alliance so great. Korean and American soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines come from vastly different cultures, thousands of miles away from each other, but they have worked together sharing the same foxholes for the past fifty-plus years. The experience has taught us that, in the end, we have much more in common than appears on the surface. It is all based on the common values that we share. Terrorism is a Global Threat Almost precisely six years ago, the world witnessed a series of horrific terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. These brutal and meticulously planned acts of terrorism forever changed our view of security and demonstrated to the world that terrorism is a global threat. After that fateful September day, the world community, including Korea, reacted and rallied around the cause of freedom. Korea has been a stalwart ally in the long war against terrorism. And sadly, Korea has also joined the long list of countries that have fallen victim to terrorist extortion and violence. Our Alliance has evolved not only by together confronting 9/11’s challenges, but also by sharing each other’s grief at terrorism’s brutal legacy. The United States shared Korea’s pain when the Taliban kidnapped and brutally murdered Koreans who were trying to make Afghanistan a better place. Likewise, we share all Koreans?joy that the 19 aid workers are now safely back on Korean soil. Terrorism is indeed a threat that transcends national boundaries. Consider this: people from over 50 different countries were killed by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Of the nearly 3,000 who perished, 327 were not Americans. Among those innocent victims were 28 Koreans, more than from any other country except the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Terrorism is a global menace no nation can ignore. The recent exposure of terrorist plots in Germany and Denmark underscore the importance for all nations to always remain vigilant against this persistent and nefarious threat. Korea has been a key ally in the global war on terror. It has been the third largest Coalition partner in Iraq and a significant contributor to reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. We also stood side-by-side in Vietnam. And we are grateful to the South Korean military for their contribution to peacekeeping operations around the world. I understand that the people of Lebanon will soon benefit greatly from a Korean peacekeeping contingent. I think these kinds of contributions demonstrate not only greater global activism by Korea, but they also strengthen our alliance, by making it more of a global alliance that is no longer focused exclusively on security on the Korean peninsula. OPCON Transition in a Changing Global Environment So far, I’ve touched on the past and discussed how, in present terms, our Alliance is thriving. I’ve reviewed how today’s successes flow from the values we share, and how 9/11 deepened our bilateral security relationship. I would like to turn now to what we’re doing today to transform our security partnership into an even more robust and prominent presence on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the world. On the Peninsula, we continue to make improvements to the Alliance to reflect prevailing economic, social and political realities. The most recent example is the transition of wartime operational control. Our joint decision to transition wartime OPCON to the ROK between now and April 2012 is a logical response to the Republic of Korea’s stronger military capabilities and its increasingly influential status among the world’s major industrialized nations. The five-year transition period provides plenty of time to ensure that our forces are properly equipped and trained so that we can be confident that the new command regime will function just as well as the existing system. Once fully implemented in 2012, the new command structure, fortified by modernizations to existing facilities and equipment, will incorporate the best of both our great militaries to generate a more able, agile fighting force. U.S. air and naval forces, supported by U.S. intelligence and logistical capabilities, will support the new ROK command and control system. This new joint command will add immeasurable capability to Korea’s already robust military and will better integrate all the elements of national power available to Korea. And, of course, there will be no change in our commitment to reinforce U.S. troops stationed on the Korean Peninsula with the full weight of U.S. military forces in the event of a threat to the security of South Korea. The ongoing relocation of U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula will also contribute to the transformation and invigoration of security operations in Korea. From over 100 camps currently located all over the Peninsula, we are working to consolidate the U.S. military footprint into two major regional hubs, comprising about 40 camps, in the near future. This endeavor includes the relocation of Yongsan Garrison to the Pyongtaek area. This major effort, jointly funded by the ROK and the United States as a further expression of our close Alliance, will free up a significant portion of valuable real estate in central Seoul for the benefit of the Korean people. At the same time, this relocation will greatly enhance efficiencies in operations and allow the United States to extend military members?tours in Korea with their families, adding stability and continuity to our combined operations. Six-Party Talks Our strategic alliance continues to evolve through our joint participation and cooperation in the Six Party Talks. As we speak, a team of nuclear experts from the United States, China and Russia is in North Korea, at the invitation of the North Korean leadership, to survey the Yongbyon nuclear facilities and provide recommendations on the most effective way to disable those facilities. This could facilitate tangible progress on disablement, which is one of the key goals for the remainder of this year. We hope it means that the North Korean leadership is making the strategic decision to denuclearize and join the international community. All eyes are on the North Korean leadership’s next steps. A world of opportunity and possibilities await the millions of people of the North recently ravaged by floods, famine and disease. As you know, advancing the process of denuclearization and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula was the focus of the meeting last week in Sydney between Presidents Bush and Roh during the APEC summit. Both Presidents made it quite clear that many things are indeed possible if North Korea abandons all of its nuclear programs and nuclear weapons. This includes normalization of relations with the United States and negotiating and eventually signing of a peace agreement to replace the Armistice Agreement of 1953. These goals ?normalization of North Korean relations with the U.S. and a permanent peace regime ?are attainable, but as President Bush said last week, they can only happen with the complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and nuclear programs. As the President said, “It’s up to Kim Jong-il.? The two Presidents also discussed building a Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism that can promote stability and cooperation in the region over the longer term. Such a mechanism could come about by building on the framework provided by the Six Party Talks. Indeed, in the Six Party Talks, we already have a working group dedicated to the issue, which had a productive meeting in Moscow last month.. It is quite conceivable that with fundamental progress in denuclearizing North Korea, as well as progress in normalizing relations between North Korea and the United States (and, of course, with Japan as well), we could seriously think about constructing a new forum or institution devoted to peace and security in this region. I personally believe that such a forum is much needed. It could be used by all the regional parties to discuss, negotiate and come to terms on security, political and other regional issues, such as energy, health or the environment. As someone who has worked on European issues during the Cold War and afterwards, I know how valuable these institutions have been in Europe to creating stability and promoting political and economic integration. And I would add that, if in Europe the NATO alliance has been a key pillar of the broader European security system that has evolved since the end of the Cold War, so here in Asia, the U.S.-Korean alliance and the U.S.-Japanese alliance could be the two key pillars of a future Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism. Now, again speaking personally, I must say I am more encouraged than ever before about the prospects for the Six Party Talks. There has indeed been substantial progress in recent months. The nuclear facilities in Yongbyon are no longer producing weapons-grade plutonium. We are also having serious discussions of the next steps ?disablement of the DPRK’s nuclear facilities and a complete declaration of its nuclear programs. Essentially, the first phase of the February 13 agreement has been successfully concluded, and we are on track to complete the second phase by the end of 2007. However, we still have a long way to go until we achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. So, now is the time for the United States, Korea and our other partners to speak with one voice so that the North Korean leadership understands in no uncertain terms that it must make the strategic decision to denuclearize if it hopes to join the international community. Conclusion In closing, let me emphasize that the U.S.-ROK Alliance is a living thing. Koreans and Americans have done lots of heavy lifting together not just in Korea but in places as far away as Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. We stand together in the fight against terrorism and in our efforts to denuclearize North Korea. This is not to say that we don’t have disagreements and disputes now and then. But we resolve them quickly and amicably, because we both realize that this is an enduring relationship of great benefit to both sides, founded on shared values and a long history of cooperation. I have no doubt that the U.S.-ROK Alliance will long be remembered as one of the most successful partnerships ever, and like all Americans, I look forward to its continued evolution. Thank you again for your invitation and I look forward to a lively and productive discussion.
	korea.usembassy.gov/113_091307.html

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