hankyoreh

The United States forces here on Tuesday denied media reports that their commander will try to retain authority over South Korean troops through a United Nations-sanctioned body after the planned transfer of wartime operational control in a few years.

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said those media reports on the future role of the U.N. Command (UNC) are based on misunderstandings of recent comments by Gen. Burwell B. Bell, who concurrently serves as the head of the two organizations.

"These reports are simply untrue," the USFK said in a press release.

The commander has continuously reaffirmed that the UNC will remain committed to a supporting role for the South Korean military both in peacetime and wartime even if the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) is dissolved as a result of handing over wartime operational control to Seoul, it added.

Meeting with foreign journalists in South Korea last week, Bell emphasized the need for enhancing the status of the UNC. Bell commands the USFK, the UNC and the CFC, through which he has the authority to control South Korea's 680,000 troops during war.

The CFC, however, will be automatically disbanded once South Korea regains the right to exert independent wartime control of its military sometime between 2009 and 2012.

Bell raised concerns that the dissolution of the CFC will create a military authority-to-responsibility mismatch for the UNC, as the UNC will no longer have immediate access to South Korea's combat troops.

"It is important that we organize in peacetime as we will for war," he said, adding that the allies will soon begin discussions and consultations to work out the details for the future role of the UNC.

Many South Korean newspapers reported that Bell appears to be seeking retention of his authority over the South Korean military by making the UNC more powerful even after the handover of wartime control.


Seoul, Jan. 23 (Yonhap News)