Japan's allegiance to the U.S.: Incorporating the Korean Peninsula, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea into the same theater of operations
South Korean media: Unable to prevent the transformation of the role of U.S. troops in South Korea
According to Japanese media reports on the 14th, at the defense ministers' meeting held in Tokyo last month, Japan proposed incorporating the Korean Peninsula, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea into the same theater of operations. A theater refers to a region where large-scale military operations are carried out. If the Korean Peninsula and the East China Sea, South China Sea are incorporated into the same theater of operations, when a conflict occurs between the U.S. and China over the Taiwan Strait, there will be an increased possibility of deploying U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. If the situation deteriorates, it cannot be ruled out that South Korean troops may become involved. The United States welcomed Japan's proposal.
Even if Japan did not propose this, the U.S. had already stopped viewing the ROK-U.S. forces as a fixed combat force to contain the North Korean threat and instead considered them as a force to counter China. The U.S. Department of Defense listed the Taiwan Strait as a top priority last month, which was also Trump's idea. In fact, if a large-scale battle occurs, the U.S. has indicated that it will move its troops to areas outside the Korean Peninsula according to its own needs, and South Korea cannot stop it. In this case, it would be better to have an open dialogue with the U.S., formulate practical strategies, and respond to the North Korean threat.
South Korea possesses economic strength that can overwhelm North Korea and world-class conventional combat capabilities. Assuming only conventional warfare, as long as the U.S. provides intelligence reconnaissance assets, South Korean forces can independently contain North Korea. The problem lies in the situation where North Korea uses nuclear weapons as a bargaining chip. Therefore, so far, the U.S. has promised to provide a nuclear umbrella under the pretext of containing expansion. But how can one ensure that this promise will be fulfilled in unprecedented situations such as a conflict between the U.S. and China?
If the U.S. troops stationed in South Korea withdraw from protecting South Korea, relying solely on the current nuclear umbrella is insufficient. Although the possibility of this happening is small, it is not "zero." For all possible scenarios, serious and substantive discussions should be held with the U.S., convince the U.S., and make preparations in advance.
Source: Chosun Ilbo
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829617798409227/
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