Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SEOUL1412
2007-05-11 05:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETARY PARK SEES LITTLE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0004 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #1412 1310551 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 110551Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4484 INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2620 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-5// PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP// PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001412
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR KS
SUBJECT: NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETARY PARK SEES LITTLE
PROBLEM WITH CAMP RETURNS AND SMA ISSUE
Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001412
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR KS
SUBJECT: NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETARY PARK SEES LITTLE
PROBLEM WITH CAMP RETURNS AND SMA ISSUE
Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun
1. (C) Dr. Park Sun-won, Secretary to the President for
National Security Strategy, offered a rather trouble-free
assessment of the USFK camp return and relocation funding
issues when he met with the A/DCM on May 10 at the Blue
House. Dr. Park said he had met with ROK Minister of
National Defense (MND) Kim Jang-soo the prior Monday
afternoon to discuss both issues. He told the A/DCM the
Defense Minister would be testifying before the National
Assembly Committee on Environmental and Labor Affairs
sometime in June, and that he would have to take questions
about the environmental condition of the various camps USFK
was attempting to return to the ROK. Park said Minister Kim
was fully prepared to absorb "all the blame and the
criticism" that was likely to be thrown at him and that he
would "take all the political risk." In addition to making
it clear that MND Kim was doing his best to support USFK and
the Alliance as a whole, Park indicated he thought Kim would
be able to survive the onslaught and deliver on his promise
to Secretary Gates to return all the remaining camps by the
agreed upon deadline of June 1st.
2. (C) Turning to recent criticism over USFK's plans to use
Special Measures Agreement (SMA) funds to pay for part of the
relocation and consolidation of U.S. Forces Korea, Park said
that Defense Minister Kim had been very helpful to the
Alliance there as well, explaining to the National Assembly
back in February that agreements and understandings between
the U.S. and South Korean governments did allow for SMA funds
to be used for that purpose (see Para 3.1.b). He said DM
Kim's remarks to the National Assembly had been "very
important" in enhancing that understanding at the National
Assembly. He cautioned, however, that neither MND, nor the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),were likely to
issue a public statement to that effect anytime soon because
of the political sensitivities surrounding the use of ROK
taxpayers money to fund the construction of new U.S. military
facilities.
3. (U) BEGIN TEXT
MND Press Release on February 2, 2007:
1. SMA is a shared cost that ROKG pays in order to assure a
stable environment for the USFK.
1.a. According to the SMA, the burden-sharing is composed of
wages for Korean employees, military construction,
reinforcement of combined defense force, and military
equipment support.
1.b. Of these, construction-related cost is set aside for
construction projects needed for the stationing and
maintenance of USFK. As long as the construction costs are
not used to build entertainment facilities, it could be used
for facility construction, including the base relocation
project.
2. We share the need for improving the way the SMA
negotiations are conducted and the budget is executed. As
such, we will consult this year to seek a new formula aimed
at a more reasonable burden-sharing.
END TEXT
VERSHBOW
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR KS
SUBJECT: NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETARY PARK SEES LITTLE
PROBLEM WITH CAMP RETURNS AND SMA ISSUE
Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun
1. (C) Dr. Park Sun-won, Secretary to the President for
National Security Strategy, offered a rather trouble-free
assessment of the USFK camp return and relocation funding
issues when he met with the A/DCM on May 10 at the Blue
House. Dr. Park said he had met with ROK Minister of
National Defense (MND) Kim Jang-soo the prior Monday
afternoon to discuss both issues. He told the A/DCM the
Defense Minister would be testifying before the National
Assembly Committee on Environmental and Labor Affairs
sometime in June, and that he would have to take questions
about the environmental condition of the various camps USFK
was attempting to return to the ROK. Park said Minister Kim
was fully prepared to absorb "all the blame and the
criticism" that was likely to be thrown at him and that he
would "take all the political risk." In addition to making
it clear that MND Kim was doing his best to support USFK and
the Alliance as a whole, Park indicated he thought Kim would
be able to survive the onslaught and deliver on his promise
to Secretary Gates to return all the remaining camps by the
agreed upon deadline of June 1st.
2. (C) Turning to recent criticism over USFK's plans to use
Special Measures Agreement (SMA) funds to pay for part of the
relocation and consolidation of U.S. Forces Korea, Park said
that Defense Minister Kim had been very helpful to the
Alliance there as well, explaining to the National Assembly
back in February that agreements and understandings between
the U.S. and South Korean governments did allow for SMA funds
to be used for that purpose (see Para 3.1.b). He said DM
Kim's remarks to the National Assembly had been "very
important" in enhancing that understanding at the National
Assembly. He cautioned, however, that neither MND, nor the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),were likely to
issue a public statement to that effect anytime soon because
of the political sensitivities surrounding the use of ROK
taxpayers money to fund the construction of new U.S. military
facilities.
3. (U) BEGIN TEXT
MND Press Release on February 2, 2007:
1. SMA is a shared cost that ROKG pays in order to assure a
stable environment for the USFK.
1.a. According to the SMA, the burden-sharing is composed of
wages for Korean employees, military construction,
reinforcement of combined defense force, and military
equipment support.
1.b. Of these, construction-related cost is set aside for
construction projects needed for the stationing and
maintenance of USFK. As long as the construction costs are
not used to build entertainment facilities, it could be used
for facility construction, including the base relocation
project.
2. We share the need for improving the way the SMA
negotiations are conducted and the budget is executed. As
such, we will consult this year to seek a new formula aimed
at a more reasonable burden-sharing.
END TEXT
VERSHBOW