Stop the weapons buildup! Return military operations control authority!

2006-8-29

SPARK held a demonstration in front of the Ministry of National Defense on 29 August, when they delivered a letter to the Minister of National Defense, demanding a stop to the armaments buildup and the restoration of 
military operations control authority.

The problem of the return of military operations control authority is a major Korean national security issue.
At the Republic of Korea-US defense ministers’ conference which will open in October, Korea and the US intend to finally resolve the problem of returning ROK military operations control authority to the Southern Korean military.

Since the beginning of the Korean War in 1950, command of the South Korean military operations control authority has been in the hands of the American who also commands the combined ROK forces-US Forces in Korea. 

Because of the Americans’ exercising military operations control authority, South Korea’s national defense policy and military relations with the North have been dominated for many years by the US’s military strategy. 

For a long time, Koreans have wanted to regain military operations control authority.
The US has announced that it will return military operations control authority to South Korea by 2009, but the US Department of Defense is in the process of planning a new military structure, in order to compel the ROK military to participate in military operations in Northeast Asia together with the USFK.

The ROK government is also promoting the plan for the new military structure and by 2020, plans to spend 621 trillion won (1 billion) on purchasing the most advanced US weapons.
If this is done, South Korea will find it difficult to escape from under the shadow of the US’s new military strategy, which is designed to encircle China.

SPARK welcomes the return of military operations control authority, but opposes the US’s plan and the ROK government’s weapons buildup.

Many Koreans believe that regaining military operations control authority and ridding ourselves of US domination are necessary in order to promote peace on the Korean peninsula. 

SPARK held an open forum at the demonstration today and also plans to hold a forum at the October ROK-US defense ministers’ conference. 



Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea
3rd Floor, Seongu Building,
18-4 Shin-Gongdeok Dong, Mapoku
Seoul (121-851), Republic of Korea 
Telephone: 82-2-711-7292, 712-8443
Fax: 82-2-712-8445
www.spark946.org
www.peaceone.org