[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] Will the ROK-US Joint Military Exercises Proceed or Be Postponed?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The Republic of Korea and the United States are increasingly likely to cancel or postpone the Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) scheduled to take place from the 9th of next month. This is because if the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and quarantined personnel within the military increases, it may become difficult to proceed with the training itself.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 24th, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo departed for the United States the day before to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Minister Jeong is visiting the U.S. from the 23rd to the 28th (local time) and will hold a Korea-U.S. defense ministerial meeting in Washington D.C. on the 24th.

During the defense ministerial meeting, discussions will typically cover the transition of wartime operational control and the defense cost-sharing for U.S. Forces Korea. However, it is expected that the schedule for the upcoming Combined Command Post Training starting next month will be discussed first. There is a possibility that the U.S. side may hesitate to participate in the joint training if additional confirmed cases occur within the military. Given the increasing number of countries banning entry from Korea or tightening entry procedures due to COVID-19 measures, if confirmed cases rise, the U.S. may refuse to participate in the training first.

Currently, the Korean military has been conducting training such as the Combat Staff Training and Battle Simulation Center (BSC) personnel collective education since mid-February in preparation for the CCPT next month, and plans to conduct the Crisis Management Staff Training (CMST), which serves as a 'reserve alert' for the main exercise. The CCPT refers to a 'war game' conducted through computer simulation without actual troop or equipment mobilization.

At this meeting, Korea and the U.S. are expected to discuss defense cost-sharing separately from the Korea-U.S. defense cost-sharing negotiation team. The two countries are preparing for the 7th round of negotiations regarding the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing. The defense ministers are expected to emphasize their respective governments' positions rather than discuss detailed matters.

On the same day, the U.S. Department of Defense reiterated in a press release that if the conclusion of a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing is delayed, unpaid leave for Korean workers employed by the U.S. Forces Korea will be inevitable. This was a clear pressure from the Ministry of National Defense on the day before the meeting between Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on the 24th, aiming for an increase in defense cost-sharing.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Forces Korea Command announced on the same day that the U.S. Department of Defense will support the salaries of Korean workers engaged in critical tasks. They are currently analyzing the scale of Korean workers who will be exempt from forced unpaid leave. This has drawn attention as it indicates a selective salary support policy rather than a complete unpaid leave.