South Korea and the US

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
---joni mitchell, big yellow taxi

after years of a parasitic relationship, the south koreans are just a little bit worried about the US removing their troops from the peninsula. what? after the constant protests against their presence? after the constant anti american rheotoric? why the bluster now that the US is finally doing what they were asked to do?

Seoul worried by US plan to relocate troops
By Andrew Ward in Seoul
Published: May 19 2004 13:57 | Last Updated: May 19 2004 13:57


Washington's planned relocation of nearly 4,000 troops from South Korea to Iraq has underlined radical changes to the US military presence on the divided peninsula and raised concern in Seoul that the move could weaken national security.


The US announced this week that it would use some of its 37,000 South Korea-based troops to bolster coalition forces struggling to bring stability to Iraq.

The decision brought the first evidence of US efforts to make its forces in South Korea more mobile, after spending five decades guarding frontline positions along the border with communist North Korea and its 1.1m-strong army.

US troops in South Korea are crucial to the stability of north-east Asia. In addition to guaranteeing the security of Asia's fourth-largest economy, they act as a counterweight to Chinese power in the region.

Washington insisted it would leave enough forces behind to maintain South Korea's security and that it remained committed to its alliance with Seoul.

But Paul Wolfowitz, US deputy defence secretary, told a Senate hearing that the redeployment signalled the end of US forces' so-called "tripwire" role as the first line of defence against the North.

Washington announced plans last year to relocate its troops to more southerly positions on the peninsula, leaving South Korean troops to take over frontline duties.

"The Americans had been looking to make adjustments in Korea and Iraq has provided the catalyst," said the defence attaché of a western embassy in Seoul. "US troops have been here for 50 years doing largely nothing except training for doomsday. The Pentagon wants them to have a more roving, regional role."

The restructuring is widely expected to involve a reduction in US troop numbers on the peninsula, in favour of greater reliance on air power and missiles. Washington has not said whether the troops relocated to Iraq will return to South Korea but it is widely suspected that they will not. Seoul said on Wednesday it was preparing for talks with Washington about the change in posture.

South Korean media and opposition politicians have warned that any reduction in US troop numbers would leave the country exposed and force a big increase in the South's military spending. They blame Roh Moo-hyun, the country's left-leaning president, for alienating Washington with his push to make Seoul more independent from its superpower ally.
----------------------------
funny i don't recall anyone ever supporting the US in south korea. in fact, their whole liberal democracy, political freedom and ongoing protection is due entirely to the fact that the US has troops in south korea. and they have forgotten.