Commentary: S.Korea in mixed feelings over US troops

DONGDUCHEON, South Korea, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Yang Young-joo said he was happy to have operated a bar for U.S. soldiers for the past two decades in this small South Korean town near the border with North Korea.

His shop, decorated with photographs of Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and John Wayne was crowded with American GIs over the weekend, he said, boasting he became friendly with them and exchanged home addresses with those who returned to the United States.

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Yang, 49, said he could feed his wife and their three children by selling beer and whisky to American soldiers in this "U.S. base town."

But he is now preparing to close the shop and leave because he no longer expects the regulars. Some 15,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to leave Dongducheon, 24 miles north of Seoul, to a new location far south in the coming years under a realignment program for 37,000 American troops stationed in South Korea.

Yang was further affected after U.S. news reports this week that the United States wanted to reduce its soldiers here to 25,000 and was pressing South Korea to accommodate the troop reduction.

"This town's economy heavily depends on the U.S. base," he said. "Without it, this town is dead. We can no longer make a living here."

Yang has joined some 400 storeowners and merchants in demonstrations to support the U.S. military presence in the region.

Like other U.S. military base towns elsewhere in the country, Dongducheon targets American soldiers as customers. Most shops and restaurants heavily depend on GIs for business. Americans shop, eat and drink in the establishments scattered around their base.

"Of 70,000 citizens in this city, livelihood of more than 15,000 depend on American military customers," said Park Soo-ho, who heads an "emergency commission" to cope with the U.S. troop relocation.

"Economic damage to be inflicted by the withdrawal of the American troops from here is estimated at 140 billion won ($118 million) annually," Park, the chairman of Dongducheon City Council, said in an interview with United Press International.

Park said if the Americans left, the government should step down.

"Dongducheon has played a key role for national security by hosting U.S. troops at the expense of its industrial development," he said. "It is high time for the government to pay compensation to citizens who have endured hardship in the U.S. base town."

Dongdocheon hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Army's 15,000-strong 2nd Infantry Division, which is scattered among dozens of camps and bases near the heavily armed inter-Korean border. The frontline troops have served as a "tripwire" that could automatically lead to Washington's involvement in the event of an invasion by North Korea.

The United States and South Korea recently agreed to move the U.S. ground troops away from the border in one of the biggest realignment of American forces in South Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War. Their presence near the border makes them vulnerable to onslaughts from North Korean artillery attacks.

The U.S. troops' southward relocation plan has sparked concerns among South Koreans who say it could create a security vacuum that would hurt deterrence against communist North Korea amid its threats to obtain nuclear weapons.

In a bid to calm South Korea's security jitters, the United States pledged $11 billion for the U.S. Forces Korea to build up its war capability over the next 3 years, saying the plan would enhance the deterrent against North Korea.

Scattered throughout the country, more than 90 American installations have long been a source of friction between residents near the U.S. facilities who complain of pollution, noise and traffic from the U.S. bases and occasional crimes by American troops.

Last year's deaths of two South Korean girls in a road accident near Dongducheon by a U.S. military vehicle sparked a strong wave of anti-American sentiment across the country, leading to the surprise victory of Roh Moo-hyun, who supported anti-U.S. protests, in December's presidential elections.

The unprecedented anti-U.S. demonstrations forced the United States to seek the relocation of its 37,000 troops, which have been stationed in South Korea since the Korean War under a bilateral defense treaty.

Despite no clear signs of troop reduction, South Korea seems to be preparing for a major change in U.S. troop numbers and role.

Roh argues the redeployment is inevitable because the troops' future role will be to preserve peace and stability in Northeast Asia. He also has vowed to build self-defense capabilities within 10 years to cope with the possible withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea.

In a summit with Roh earlier this week, U.S. President George W. Bush denied American media reports that the Pentagon would reduce its military presence in South Korea, saying he had not approved any such plan. Prime Minister Goh Kun said, however, Seoul should be ready to accept U.S. force reduction. He said Seoul and Washington shared the view that U.S. troops may be reduced once the United States completes its $11 billion military-improvement plan.

"The United States has been pushing ahead with the realignment of its forces here in line with its advanced military system around the world," Goh in a policy speech at the National Assembly.

Defense Minister Cho Young-kil also hinted at a change in the U.S. military role.

"It is probable that the United States will adjust its role in step with the Pentagon's worldwide repositioning and reinforcement projects," he told lawmakers.

"Seoul and Washington have not openly discussed the agenda, but we are preparing various countermeasures for the possible change," he said.

Cho estimated the cost of the U.S. garrison relocation at between $2 billion and $4 billion.