U.S.-ROK Strategic Consultations for Applied

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 095622 NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018 TAGS: OVIP NEGROPONTE JOHN MARR PARM PREL KS SUBJECT: U.S.-ROK Strategic Consultations for Applied Partnership Meeting Classified by EAP Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) September 2, 2008, from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm, Washington, DC. ¶2. (SBU) Participants: U.S. Deputy Secretary Negroponte David Gordon, Director, Policy Planning A/S Mark Kimmitt, PM DASD David Sedney, DOD-OSD DAS Alex Arvizu, EAP Sung Kim, EAP Kurt Tong, EAP/K Kaye Lee, D Staff Brian McFeeters, Embassy Seoul (notetaker) Sherri Holliday-Sklar, EAP/K (notetaker) Republic of Korea Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jung-Rak Political Minister Kim Kyou-hyun, ROK Embassy National Security Strategy Secretary Kim Tae-Hyo, Blue House Deputy Director-General Lee Back-soon, MOFAT North American Affairs Bureau Kim Hyoung-zhin, ROK Embassy Cho Koo-Rae, MOFAT Director for North America Division II Lee In-Bae, Assistant to the President Rhee Dong-Yeol, MOFAT North American Division I Cho Seoung-Ho, MOFAT North American Division I Kim Young-wan, MOFAT Deputy Director North American Division III ¶3. (C/NF) SUMMARY: The three bilateral Presidential meetings this year in the United States, Korea, and Japan, have energized the strong U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance, ROK Vice Foreign Minister (VFM) Kwon told Deputy Secretary Negroponte during September 2 Strategic Consultations for Allied Partnership (SCAP) discussions in Washington, D.C. VFM Kwon reaffirmed Korea's commitment to securing National Assembly approval for the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) this year and emphasized the political importance of securing entry to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) by the end of the year. Concerning military alliance issues, Kwon asked the United States to remain open to reviewing the 2012 OPCON transfer should circumstances warrant; expressed a desire to increase Korea's in- kind contributions to meet burdensharing requirements; requested help with unsatisfactory draft legislation revising the ROK's foreign military sales (FMS) status; and emphasized the political sensitivity of the environmental concerns surrounding the return of U.S. military bases. END SUMMARY. Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The three bilateral Presidential meetings this year held in the United States, Japan, and Korea have energized the strong U.S.-ROK alliance, according to ROK VFM Kwon. VFM Kwon said the ROKG is working hard to get National Assembly approval of the KORUS FTA during the regular fall session (from mid-September through December 20). He said the ruling Grand National Party has committed to using its majority to ensure timely passage of the FTA. The Deputy Secretary said President Bush is committed to ratification and implementation of the KORUS FTA. He observed that early National Assembly passage of the KORUS FTA would help the Administration with Congress, which currently has plans to be in session only until September 26 this year. Nonetheless, the Administration will make its best efforts. We are aware that the agreement is in our best interests. VFM Kwon said the ROKG understands the challenge of securing Congressional ratification. He noted that the ROK is in the end stages of FTA negotiations with the European Union and hopes to sign a Korea-EU FTA in October. Korea would like to have the KORUS FTA in place as soon as possible to expand our already strong relationship. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) -------------- ¶5. (C/NF) Securing ROK entry to the VWP this year is a key priority for the ROKG, VFM Kwon said. The ROKG is working to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States to resolve the remaining issue of criminal information sharing. The ROK Director General (DG) for Consular Affairs arrives today (September 2) to meet with his U.S. Department of Homeland Security counterpart to discuss the MOU. At issue is Korea's ability to provide the criminal records of travelers to the United States without travelers' consent. The MOU would allow for such sharing, but will have to be confirmed by the National Assembly. VFM Kwon said that National Assembly ratification could take some time, and may not happen before the end of the year. However, President Lee had already promised the Korean people that they would deliver the VWP by the end of the year. As a result, VFM Kwon hopes we can proceed with the VWP with a signed but not yet fully ratified MOU. ¶6. (C/NF) The Deputy Secretary noted the importance of concluding the MOU negotiations soon and asked whether the ROKG would be able to implement the criminal information-sharing provisions without having National Assembly endorsement of the MOU. Kwon responded that it was his understanding the ROKG could proceed on administrative authorities to carry out its end of the MOU until the National Assembly acts. In any event, the ROKG has told the Korean public the VWP will happen this year so the ROKG must find a way to make it work, Kwon said. He thought the ROKG would be able to share criminal information, but not on a blanket basis. The Deputy Secretary emphasized that the important next step to achieving our goal of implementing the VWP is to ensure a satisfactory conclusion of the MOU negotiations. Work, English, Study, Travel (WEST) Program -------------- ¶7. (SBU) VFM Kwon said young Koreans have high expectations for the new WEST program. EAP DAS Arvizu said the USG and ROKG negotiations are on track to deliver a signed MOU this fall and start the program early next year. Kwon said the ROKG is concerned about identifying companies that would provide work opportunities for Korean students. He asked for advice about facilitating the work portion of the program. The Deputy Secretary suggested there were a number of organizations that had experience facilitating these types of programs. The Institute for International Education (IIE),which has helped Fulbright exchanges find work, and Meridian House are just two examples. OPCON Transfer -------------- ¶8. (C/NF) VFM Kwon stressed that the planned transition of operational control (OPCON) from U.S. to ROK military forces by 2012 is going well. Because of the unpredictable security situation on the peninsula, the United States and ROKG should regularly consult on how the peninsular security climate could affect the OPCON transition. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense David Sedney noted that we are always open to consultations but observed that both sides had agreed to the OPCON transition date with an awareness of the DPRK's possession of nuclear weapons, of missiles and recognizing the DPRK's unpredictability. We chose the 2012 date with the conviction that the OPCON transition would improve security on the Korean peninsula, he stated. The Deputy Secretary cautioned that active consideration of changing the date could send the wrong message. In response to a question, VFM Kwon noted that the United States and ROK had agreed to review OPCON transition timing in the last couple of years of transition. VFM Kwon said the ROKG is proceeding with the OPCON transition plan but wants to flag concern that recent DPRK actions, including their continued development of long-range ballistic missiles, cause lingering uneasiness on the ROK side. Burdensharing Negotiations -------------- ¶9. (C/NF) Negotiations for a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) will continue in late September, Kwon noted. The ROKG has proposed less "cash" and more "in-kind" support and the U.S. side has agreed to consider it "in due course," particularly for military construction. Kwon noted that SMA currently is used for three kinds of expenditures: (1) wages for ROK citizens working for USFK; (2) logistical support (which is done by contract); and (3) military construction. Cash transfers for military construction, he argued, have been non-transparent and problematic because of the long time-frame involved and the short Korean budgetary year. These problems have eroded the level of ROK public support for SMA. The two sides now agree on the basic concept of moving toward more in-kind contributions, but the timing is very important. If we can narrow the gap on the timing of the transition from cash to in-kind support, Kwon noted, the ROKG would have more flexibility in terms of its overall level of financial support for the SMA. Political Military Affairs Assistant Secretary Kimmitt said, based on his discussion with U.S. negotiator Ambassador McDonald, this issue should not be an insurmountable problem. Base Returns -------------- ¶10. (C/NF) VFM Kwon stressed the ROKG is concerned about some environmental problems at U.S. military bases that are being returned to the ROK. The ROKG would like to agree on the standards for joint environmental assessment of the bases, including an agreed definition of "non-imminent substantial endangerment" to the environment. Local governments and neighboring residents are concerned that the bases will not be able to be redeveloped without significant environmental remediation after the U.S. military returns them. The Deputy Secretary said he understands ROKG environmental concerns but noted that environmental remediation cannot be an unlimited liability for the U.S. military. These bases were created in the context of U.S. military forces coming to the defense of the ROK about 50 years ago, with what we knew about environmental impact at that time. DASD Sedney said the USFK plans to return nine bases to the ROKG this year, including Camp Hialeah. USFK and the ROK Ministry of National Defense negotiators are close to agreement on the terms of those camp returns within the framework of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA),he said. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Status -------------- ¶11. (C/NF) As discussed during President Lee's April 2008 visit, the ROKG would like to obtain Foreign Military Sales (FMS) status similar to NATO plus 3, VFM Kwon said. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this year that would accomplish this. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) has changed the bill to provide FMS treatment that is worse than what Korea currently has, Kwon asserted. In his assessment, the language is even worse than the FMS status of former Warsaw-pact countries in Eastern Europe. The Deputy Secretary observed that Secretary Rice had expressed her support for elevating the ROK's FMS status in a letter to Senators Biden and Lugar last April. EAP DAS Arvizu said the State Department would look into the issue. ¶12. (SBU) The subsequent SCAP working lunch discussion will be reported septel. RICE NNNN End Cable Text