Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SEOUL644
2008-04-01 04:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:  

ROK REACTION TO DOD REPORT ON CHINA MILITARY POWER

Tags:  MARR MCAP PREL PGOV TSPA KS CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #0644 0920436
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 010436Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9161
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4039
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4194
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 2578
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA CC SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RUACAAA/COMUSKOREA INTEL SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J3 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-5// PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP// PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000644 

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2017
TAGS: MARR MCAP PREL PGOV TSPA KS CH
SUBJECT: ROK REACTION TO DOD REPORT ON CHINA MILITARY POWER

REF: STATE 020659

Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun, reasons 1.4 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000644

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2017
TAGS: MARR MCAP PREL PGOV TSPA KS CH
SUBJECT: ROK REACTION TO DOD REPORT ON CHINA MILITARY POWER

REF: STATE 020659

Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun, reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) As requested in reftel, Emboffs engaged our ROKG
contacts to gauge reaction to the March 3rd Defense
Department release of the 2008 China Military Power Report.
Ministry of National Defense (MND) U.S. Policy Division Chief
Colonel Song Seung-jong told us that he did not review the
report in detail but viewed the document as containing no
major new developments or assessments over the report
released last year. He noted that while Chinese military
expenditures appeared to be growing at a rapid rate, above
and beyond the rate of other countries in the region, this
had yet to cause great concerns because the exact figures do
not appear to be well known. Still, Song strongly concurred
with the report's findings that Chinese military transparency
is a major concern for the ROK military. When asked if the
ROKG had any experience with cyber intrusions, Song said that
this was a key concern for the military in particular. He
told us he was personally aware of intrusions on ROK military
unclassified systems which appeared to have originated from

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China. Song emphasized that while the intrusions did not
appear to have successfully breached MND firewalls, or
extracted any key information, it was an area of continued
concern for ROK military security specialists.


2. (C) Kim Sung-Eun from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade's Security and Counter-Terrorism Cooperation Division
also noted the rise in China's asymmetric warfare
capabilities, but offered a slightly different view from our
MND contact. Ms. Kim argued that while she understood why
the United States was sensitive to China's growing military
strength, she said it may be premature to assess China's
precise intentions. Kim suggested that China's new
capabilities, particularly in the area of ballistic missile
development, warranted close scrutiny. She speculated that
because China had not formally signed on to the Missile
Technology Control Regime checks and does not participate in
any international strategic missile reduction agreements, PRC
leaders have no motivation to curb further development of
their missile arsenal. Kim also suggested that China's
continued missile development was likely in response to
perceived threats posed by Russia and the United States. She
stressed that continuous engagement with China was really the
only way to assess the PRC's true intentions, and that doing
so would be the best way to derive an appropriate strategy in
response to Chinese actions, thereby helping to ensure that
there would be no miscalculations or missteps that might
trigger instability in the region.
VERSHBOW