DEFENSE WHITE PAPER: ROK GETS GREATER, BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004500 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2016 TAGS: MARR PREL JA SUBJECT: DEFENSE WHITE PAPER: ROK GETS GREATER, BUT NEUTRAL, TREATMENT REF: TOKYO 4365 (030811Z AUG 06) Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER. REASON: 1.4(B)(D) ¶1. (SBU) The Japan Defense Agency (JDA) 2006 White Paper (reftel) devotes much more attention than last year to the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and in particular, the Republic of Korea's defense policy. In 2005, the White Paper's section on South Korea was limited to a mere ten lines; its main substantive observation was that, in line with the ROK's policy of engagement with the DPRK, the ROK Ministry of National Defense ceased describing North Korea as the "main enemy" in 2004. ¶2. (SBU) This year's JDA White Paper, by comparison, is two pages long. It describes in some detail the stationing of U.S. forces in Korea, including adjustments in force size and disposition agreed to during the Future of the Alliance (FOTA) process and the successor Security Policy Initiative (SPI),as well as joint exercises "Foal Eagle" and "RSOI" (Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration). The White Paper for the first time also reports on reciprocal defense minister visits and other military-to-military cooperation between the ROK and China, and between the ROK and Russia. ¶3. (SBU) In its treatment of South Korea's defense policy, the White Paper gives considerable attention to the ROK "Defense Reform 2020" plan, followed by two full paragraphs describing ROK force modernization, citing acquisition of submarines, multi-role helicopters, F-15Ks, AWACS procurement planned for 2012, and AEGIS-equiped destroyers. The report also notes that "the ROK is believed to be trying to realize the domestic production of missiles." ¶4. (C) Comment: Except perhaps for the above wording on missiles, the White Paper's description of ROK defense policy and force modernization is cast in neutral terms, unlike the critical commentary used in the report's section on China (septel). On August 8, Korea expert Narushige Michishita of JDA's National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS),told us it was high time for JDA to assess in more depth ROK security policy, both "the good and bad," as he put it. The 2006 Defense White Paper is a step in that direction. SCHIEFFER