Tag: United Nations Command

Here is another claim that has come out of the allegation that USFK tried to add Japan as part of the United Nations Command (UNC); they also wanted Germany to join as well:

 Early this year, the UNC finalized a legal review to lowering the bar for which countries can serve as sending states, according to sources, which could include nations like Japan or Germany.

It was also revealed by South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Thursday that the United States tried to have Germany dispatch military officers to the UNC, but the plan fizzled out due to opposition from Seoul. 

Joong Ang Ilbo

USFK for their part has denied the allegation they tried to have Japan become part of the UNC.

Here is USFK’s response to South Korean media reports that the U.S. was trying to add Japan as a member of the UNC:

United Nations Command continues to work closely with members of the Republic of Korea government on all aspects of the UNC organizational structure.

News reports alleging Japan being considered as a potential Sending State are flagrantly false. UNC has not offered, nor has Japan requested Sending State designation.

UNC is focused on maintaining peace and security on the peninsula as it has successfully done for more than 69 years to the great benefit of the region. Furthermore, as a top priority, UNC endeavors to support diplomatic efforts to find a lasting peace.

“UNC strives to work transparently and effectively with our participating member states and the Republic of Korea.,” said Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams, UNC commander.

UNC is the home for international commitments which provides a ready-made coalition of longstanding friends and support, including in times of crisis.  UNC is committed to a stable transition to a new combined defense system following the transfer of wartime operational control to a ROK four-star led Combined Forces Command. There is no plan to make UNC an operational command.  Any suggestions otherwise are patently false. 

USFK.mil

Yonhap is reporting that this issue may have been caused by a mistranslation:

Japan is already home to a number of UNC rear bases that would be mobilized in the event of a crisis in Korea.

Speaking of the U.S.’ references to Japan’s role within the UNC in a recently issued annual publication, the Seoul ministry also said there seems to have been a “mistranslation” of the English text into Korean.

In the English version of the 2019 Strategic Digest, the U.S. said the UNC “continues to ensure the support and force flow through Japan that would be necessary in times of crisis.” But the Korean version says it continues to ensure the support and force flow “with” Japan.

Yonhap

I don’t buy the mistranslation causing such a huge false report like this to be published. I think this is probably domestic politics with the Moon administration trying to lift its approval ratings by appearing to stand up to the Americans to stop the Japanese from joining the UNC.

This would seem to be in line with President Trump’s call for Japan to do more militarily in support of the US. However, this is not going to go over well in South Korea:

The defense ministry on Thursday voiced strong opposition to an alleged push by the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) to include Japan as an official member, saying that, according to U.N. Security Council resolutions, Tokyo is not entitled to such status.

According to sources, the UNC is seeking to include Japan as one of the UNC’s “sending states,” a move likely to inflame public sentiment in South Korea amid renewed historical tensions with Tokyo.

Should Japan obtain the membership, it would pave the way for its military involvement in the event of an armed conflict on the peninsula — a scenario unthinkable for many Koreans who harbor grievances stemming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule.

Except for South Korea and the United States, the UNC currently has 16 sending states that are to provide combat troops, equipment and other forms of support in case of a contingency on the peninsula.

The sending states include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy and New Zealand. They have posted contingents at the UNC to support its operations centering on the observance and enforcement of the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

“Japan did not participate in the Korean War, so it cannot serve a role as a sending state,” Col. Roh Jae-cheon, the deputy ministry spokesman told a regular briefing, citing U.N. Resolutions 83 and 84.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It looks like the US will be making sure that all inter-Korean cooperation is being done by existing regulations:

The United Nations Command (UNC) for the first time disapproved plans for an inter-Korean railway inspection, amid a deadlock in denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S.

The plan was for a South Korean train to travel up to the North’s northwestern city of Sinuiju so officials of the Koreas could inspect the condition of the tracks in the North from Aug. 22 to 27.

The UNC holds authority to approve personnel and supplies crossing the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

The government has stated the inspections do not go against sanctions imposed on the North by the U.N. and the U.S.

The UNC initially cited the reason for disapproval as South Korea not notifying it of its plan 48 hours in advance.

A unification ministry official said this was likely not the issue.

“There were many instances in which plans that were announced less than 48 hours in advance were approved,” he told reporters, Thursday.

The UNC, in an official statement, said it “required South Korea to submit details of the planned visit.” Calling for additional details is seen as unprecedented.  [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link, but considering the duplicity shown by the Moon administration allowing the North Koreans to violate sanctions this is probably a wise move.