hankyoreh

October 2008.

By Lee Jae-hoon

South Korea and the United States have announced plans to conduct a ROK-U.S. joint military exercise in preparation for submarine attacks in the Yellow Sea in August. The decision to hold the exercises was made in spite of both countries’ decision to relocate joint military exercise for the Battleship Battle Group including the USS George Washington aircraft carrier from the Yellow Sea to East Sea, bowing to complaints from China. The Yellow Sea, where the People’s Liberation Army of China conducted a military exercise for military transportation from July 17 through 18, is a major sea lane for South Korea. The Yellow Sea sea lanes are vital to South Korea in order to guarantee stable trade.

“The Republic of Korea and the U.S. are scheduled to stage consecutive military exercises against submarines in the Yellow Sea and South Sea after the joint ROK-U.S. maritime exercise in the East Sea this month,” said an official of the South Korean Defense Ministry on Monday. “It is highly likely that a military exercise to defend against submarine attacks will take place in the Yellow Sea just after the Ulji Freedom Guardian Exercise, which is scheduled take place from August 16 to 26.” The official also said that the Defense Ministry plans to stage the intensive exercise in defense of a submarine attack because the Cheonan was sunk through an attack by a North Korean submersible in the Yellow Sea.

A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine or 1 to 2 Aegis destroyers will participate in the military exercise in defense against submarine attacks in the Yellow Sea. The ROK naval Aegis King Sejong, a Korean-style destroyer (4500t), 206 (1800t) and 209 (1200t) submarines, maritime patrol planes (P-3C) and KF-16 combat planes will also take part in the exercise. Although the U.S. aircraft carriers will not participate in the exercise, all pivotal military ROK-US allied forces will be mobilized.

The exercise will reportedly include the procedure to search, detect and attack a submarine underwater. Although the site for the joint ROK-US exercises to defend against submarine attacks have previously taken place in waters near Kunsan, this exercise has been scheduled to take place in waters near Pyeongtaek, north of Kunsan.

“The waters near Pyeongtaek are located in the northernmost location that is out of the range of the North Korean military’s long-range canons and short-range missiles,” said a South Korean military official.

Although the next month’s exercise to defend against submarine attacks in the Yellow Sea are a nominal preparation for a North Korean infiltration and provocation, the exercises are also targeted toward China, which has also been staging military exercises in the Yellow Sea.

The South Korean media reported that the country developed a cruise missile ‘Hyunmoo 3-C’ with a 1500 km range that can reach Beijing and northeast region of China. Observers said that South Korean government leaked the fact in order to place a power check on China.

One Chinese newspaper, which took a hardline stance in response to the joint ROK-U.S. military exercises, posted on the front page of its Monday edition, “South Korean Cruise Missile’s Range Covers the Region. It is Feared that Tensions Will Increase Around the Region.”

South Korean Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kim Young-sun said during a regular briefing, “The joint ROK-U.S. military exercise is being reviewed in order to contain additional provocations from North Korea.” Kim also said, “This exercise has not been scheduled to increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but to guarantee stability.”

Spokeswoman Kim went on to say, “This exercise is only for defense. We would also like to point out that Chinese government has also staged military exercises for defense.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]