The United States Force in Korea was created on 1st July in 1957. They include (EUSA) Eighth US Army, Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR), Marine Forces Korea (MARFORK), US Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) and US Air Forces Korea (Seventh Air Force). The USFK is responsible to train, organize and equip the US Forces in Korea so that they get ready for any war (Futrell, 78). During the Korean War between the North and South Korea, the United States decided to step in and provide security for South Korea. After the Korean War, United States Forces stayed in South Korea since at that time, South Korea had no military and economic power and they needed support. Currently, many young generations think that South Korea does not need USFK because the United States army has created lots of problems in South Korea society with their stay. Therefore, South Korea has enough power of military and economy without USFK they are able to defend themselves. Furthermore, the United States Force in Korea is not really helpful for the peaceful reunification but it is about o bring more destruction to both North and South Korea.
USFK has created a lot of problems in South Korean society. Initially, nobody blamed USFK, even though U.S. army had committed a number of crimes on the South Korean land because they needed their defense and they had to keep quiet about everything. South Korean was afraid of war and they could not defend themselves at that time and they had to settle for USFK, because they had no choice other than the help from USFK. However, today, many young generations think that the United States Force in Korea are not needed in South Korea because the U.S. army has abused their power in Korea and has exploited them. Also, they do not have to endure USFK’s felonies in their country. Usually, there are many bad news aired on televisions and even in newspapers about U.S. soldiers in South Korea starting from rape and other several abuses of South Korean women. According to the statistics released by the South Korean National Police Agency, they show that there is an increasing number of rapes, thefts, robberies and other violent acts being committed by the US troops and other people who work for the US military. They commit all the above crimes and they go unpunished while the civilians suffer. In the past years, the number of such events in South Korea has increased tremendously and it is time that the US troops be sent packing so as to stop all these crimes and violence especially against women. As much as most of the crimes are termed accidental, they are still at high rates.
There are many areas that are restricted off limits to all U.S. forces at night and according to the USFK regulation the members found in off-limits area or participating in prohibited activities will be in violation of USFK Regulations, however, their crimes are still reported and nothing much is being done about it. The off limits areas were decided on after 20 year old Kevin Flippin was convicted after he broke into a 16 year old girl room and raped her repeatedly, beat her up, burned her and even stole from her. In September after this incident, the government of the United States gave their apologies to South Korea and they designed off-limits for U.S. troops in all university areas during the night. Only after two months passed and the same incidences of rape were still being reported, this is the reason why many young people who are their victims feel that they are no longer needed in the South of Korea because they are abusing them. According to the Yonhap News Agency on November 2011, one of US army was suspected of setting a fire at the pub in Itaewon, he reportedly by the pub owner and he demanded that he leave their town. This place was confirmed to be designated off-limits to American soldiers during curfew hours just to cool the bar owner. This cases show us that, the regulations on the US troops are not working to help reduce crime of U.S. army since there are still many crimes being committed and they go unpunished (Asia News Monitor). It has been reported that, even after being restricted to go to some areas, many American soldiers usually go to off-limits places at night because US military police does not go around inspecting all areas and this is why there are still many cases of rape. Also, American solider know very well that Korean police cannot control them as they are more powerful than them. The off limits regulations are not helpful and the only solution is to send them away from South Korea and there will be no reports of these crimes. Additionally, the United States Force in Korea should be out of Korea because they cannot be controlled. The Status of Forces Agreement in Korea between the U.S. and South Korea let the American soldiers to get away with their crimes unpunished. There is a call by young generation to revise SOFA rules to protect South Korean citizens if it is a must for USFK to remain in South Korea.
On July 13, 2002, two Korean young girls were killed by an American tank during their exercises According to a South Korean investigation, the two soldiers driving the tank were talking to each other thus the driver did not hear a warring (Robert). It is obvious that they were not serious with their job and they had to be punished. However, South Korea justice department couldn’t bring the two American soldiers to South Korea Court because firstly the US had no plans of prosecuting the soldiers as they called the incident an accident falling under civil law (The Christian Science Monitor). The US attitude on these cases has made many people believe that USFK have to leave South Korea since they are causing more harm than good.
South Korea has enough military power and has become an economic powerhouse that can defend itself. Therefore, there is no need for the US troops in South Korea as it has given the national security and economic growth a top priority. According to Daheem, South Korea has a regular army of more than 500,000 persons ("North Korea vs. South Korea."). The US troops are not needed in South Korea because it has developed its ballistic nuclear weapons and deployed special operations forces to guard their country. Moreover, they have a sizeable stock of chemical weapons which can be used for their protection in case of an outbreak of war. A large number of these have a range more than 3,000 kilometers since they have already been tested. The key reason intended for North Korea's manufacture of nuclear weapons is that its conventional forces do not get involved in an extended war. North Korea is working on the nuclear weapons so as to use them in case there will be a war between them and South Korea (Daheem). South Korea‘s Navy is stronger than North Korea Navy and therefore if a there is an outbreak of war between North and South Korea, the South is sure to win. Because of Geographic Environment, North Korea Navy cannot move through sea from East Sea to West and this gives South Korea an advantage over them and they can do it without the help of the US army.
South Korea's aggregate defense is spending over the 5-year period is estimated at 2.76% of GDP, and up to 20% of the total will be spent on military research and development and this for sure explains that South Korea will be more powerful than North Korea and there is no need for the Us troops in their country (Keith 102). Besides, South Korea’s Air Force is stronger than that of North Korea. Even though North Korea has Nuclear weapons, they cannot count on using nuclear weapons because all effort is being made to prevent using nuclear weapons. Not only USFK but also many countries worry about North Korea and their nuclear weapons because North Korea developed much longer range intercontinental ballistic missiles. The UN has banned the use of nuclear weapon and many sanctions have been made on North Korea and without the use of nuclear weapons, they become weak. Japan, China and many Asian countries are in rage with North Korea’s nuclear weapons. Most of all, China’s aid is not without limits, this means that, China which is an ally of North Korea will stop investing in North Korea making its military power weak, whereas South Korean military power will be getting stronger. So, this is evident that, South Korea can do without USFK and therefore they are not needed.
South Korea has made a lot of effort to bring peace with North Korea but it has failed. They even tried the Sunshine Policy for peaceful unification but everything failed. Many people believe that, the reason why the peace talks between the North and South Korea fails and their relationship is going from bad to worse is the USFK.. According to North Korea the presence of the US troops in South Korea is relatively delaying the Korean nation’s process of achieving cooperation, reconciliation and independent reunification. Moreover, instead of bringing peace, they are steering hostility between the two nations and this can lead to an eruption of war between them. Also, Chinese people think that USFK does not help in unifying of North and South Korea. They assert that, the US is using South Korea to keep military pressure on North Korea, maintaining a balance of power in Northeast Asia and to achieve their main goal of upholding a strategic power in Asia and the Pacific region (Zhan and Lee, 70).
The presence of the U.S. armed forces on the Korea peninsula located on U.S-South Korean alliance is one of the major hindrance to North and South Korea‘s unification (Zhan and Lee 68). If South Korea really wants to talk and reach a unifying agreement with North Korea, they have to listen to North Korea without involving the US. ("North Korea Calls for Withdrawal of US Troops from South"). First, South Korea has to make an effort to persuade North Korea to the dialogue table without the US being involved and this can only be done when the US army is out of South Korea. Their continued stay will ignite war between the North and South Korea which will lead to destruction. North Korea has threatened South Korea with Final destruction if the US military continues with the military drilling (Hamburger 45). It is time the for US army to leave South Korea and leave the two nations to settle their differences on their own. Their continued stay means a lot of rape crimes, beating of civilians and posing possible threats of war between the North and South Korea.
On the other hand, it is important for the US troops to be present in South Korea so as to defend its nation and its populous allies around the globe (Rogers 114). North Korea has issued many threats to the US and they can only fight and contain them if they remain in South Korea. They have to remain in South Korea in order to maintain a readiness posture for war. The United States Force in Korea are needed because, South Korea and North Korea are still at war as there is no peace between them. The presence of the United States Force in Korea shows a sense of security for South Korea and the North will think twice before starting a war with them.
In essence, the presence of the United States Force in Korea has brought more problems than solutions and it is time that they take their leave. When they are out of the picture, the North and South Korea will be able to organize peace talks and come into agreement with each other. Their presence has brought lots of violence, crimes and abuse on the Korean citizens. The young people should be supported on their advocacy for the removal of United States Force in Korea as their help is no longer needed.
Works Cited
"U.S. Soldier's Suspected Arson in Off-Limits Area Triggers Worries Over Lax Anti-Crime Measures." Yonhap News Agency Nov 18 2011. ProQuest. Web. 14 July. 2013. <http://trove.nla.gov.au/version/173438127>
"United States/South Korea: US Troops in South Korea under More Scrutiny." Asia News Monitor. 09 Nov 2011 ProQuest. 14 July 2013.
Robert Marquand Staff writer of The Christian, Science Monitor. "Anti-US Voices Surge in Streets of a Major Asian Ally; Anger over Military Accident Leads to Huge South Korean Protest of US Troop Presence." The Christian Science Monitor Dec 16 2002: 01. ProQuest.PROQUESTMS. 14July 2013
Kim, Sang, Wook . Telephone interview.1 July 2013.
Daheem, Muhammad. "North Korea vs. South Korea." Pakistan Observer Jan 03 2011 ProQuest. 14 July 2013.
Keith, Jacobs. "The ROK Navy: Towards a Regional Force Status." Military Technology
31.10 (2007): 96-105. Print.
"North Korea Calls for Withdrawal of US Troops from South." BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific 07 Aug. 2003: 1. ProQuest Newspapers. Web. 14 July 2013.
Zhan, Debin, and Kyung, Lee Hun. “Chinese People’s Understanding of the Korea Unification Issue.” Asian Social Science 8.3 (2012): 63-74. Print.
Futrell, Robert. The United States Air Force in Korea. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, 1983. Print.
Rogers, Brian. United States Air Force Unit Designations since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications, 2005. Print.
Hamburger, Kenneth E. Leadership in the Crucible: The Korean War Battles of Twin Tunnels & Chipyong-ni, College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2003. Print.
