The new plan is still being finalized but the two countries hope to reach agreement by late October, said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

The official said the troop reductions would involve headquarters and support elements, and would not result in a cut in US combat capabilities on the Korean peninsula, which he said would be increased.

"As the adjustments take place there will be a reduction in the number of US forces located in the Republic of Korea beyond the level of 25,000 we've currently agreed to," said the official.

"Will it be a substantial reduction? I do not believe so," he said, adding that details would be worked out over the next few months.

The official said the United States and Seoul expect to have agreement on the change in command structure when the US and South Korean defense ministers meet in Washington for annual security talks at the end of October.

"What the Republic of Korea has suggested is it would like to be able to retain wartime operational control over its forces," he said. "We think this is a reasonable request. We think it is a request whose time has come."

The proposals call for scrapping the current command arrangement under which a US general would take charge of a combined US-South Korean force if war broke out on the divided peninsula.

Instead, the South Korean military would assume primary responsibility for defending the country in time of war, and US forces would play a supporting role, the official said.

US troops would not come under South Korean operational control but would fall under a parallel US command, the official said.

How soon the changes could go into effect is still under discussion, he said. The South Koreans have said 2012 but the Americans believe it could be accomplished as early as 2009, he said.

"In no way are we suggesting significant reduction in the American commitment to the Republic of Korea," the official said. "We are actually increasing our capabilities as this process goes forward," he said.

The work on the command structure draws on a joint analysis of the security situation on the Korean peninsula and a broader examination of how the US-South Korean alliance may change if North and South Korea make peace, the official said.

The alliance has been strained in recent years over differences between Washington and Seoul over how to deal with North Korea, and the US military presence in the south has at times been the target of protests.

The Bush administration, meanwhile, has pressed for some of the biggest changes in the size and disposition of US forces in South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

"We're in the process of discussing with them the Republic of Korea taking over many more mission areas as we move toward the adjusted command relationship," said the defense official.

The United States has pulled its ground troops from frontline positions to bases south of the Han River and plans to concentrate US forces in two big hubs.

US force levels are down to 32,000 from 37,500 two years ago, and will be reduced to 25,000 by 2008 under an agreement with South Korea.

US combat power in the region, meanwhile, is shifting toward a greater emphasis on air and naval power, US military and defense officials, who insist that the military deterrent against North Korea is being enhanced, not diminished.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Nuclear Space Technology at Space-Travel.com

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News