[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] US-ROK Joint Exercises Reduced... Final Adjustments on Duration Underway

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] The South Korean and U.S. military authorities have finalized a plan to significantly reduce the scale of the upcoming ROK-U.S. joint exercises starting next month and are expected to announce it on the 26th.

According to military authorities on the day, Park Han-ki, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Robert Abrams, Commander of the United States Forces Korea, held an emergency meeting yesterday morning to exchange views on the Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) plan. At this meeting, the ROK and U.S. agreed to reduce the scale of the joint exercises instead of postponing them. However, a final decision on whether to reduce the scale or the duration of the exercises will be made in the morning and announced in the afternoon.

The decision by both countries to reduce the joint exercises was based on both policy judgments made at the ROK-U.S. Defense Ministers' Meeting and strategic considerations. On the 24th (local time), U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, after meeting with South Korean Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo at the Pentagon, expressed that they are considering reducing the ROK-U.S. joint military exercises due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in South Korea.

U.S. CNN also reported on the 25th (local time) that the ROK and U.S. are expected to soon announce plans to reduce the joint exercises due to the spread of COVID-19 in South Korea. Citing multiple U.S. officials, CNN stated, "The ROK and U.S. will announce plans to reduce the joint exercises due to COVID-19 as early as tonight U.S. time, or the morning of the 26th Korean time." CNN added, "Both sides are currently discussing the final details," and "The announcement will be made jointly by the United States Forces Korea and the South Korean military."

The ROK and U.S. had originally planned to conduct joint exercises from March 9 to 19. According to this schedule, the Crisis Management Staff Training (CMST), a preparatory exercise for the main training, would begin next week, followed by the Combined Command Post Training (CCPT). CCPT is a "war game" conducted through computer simulations without actual troop or equipment mobilization. Since the second half of last year, the ROK and U.S. have changed the Crisis Management Exercise (CMX) to CMST and the Combined Command Post Exercise (CPX) to CCPT, removing the term "alliance" from the exercise names.

After completing the three-day CMST, the main training begins, proceeding in the order of localized provocations → war initiation → troop reinforcement → counterattack operations → conclusion. Broadly, the training is divided into Part 1 (defense) and Part 2 (counterattack), conducted over two weeks. However, this year, the counterattack operation scenario will be removed, reducing the training period to 10 days. Depending on the meeting results, the training period may be further shortened.

Another reason the ROK and U.S. decided to reduce rather than postpone the joint exercises is that the current administration aims to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) "within its term." In next month's joint exercises, they plan to supplement deficiencies based on the verification results of the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the future combined command conducted last year. Later, the Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification will be pursued in the joint exercises in the second half of this year. Afterward, the Full Mission Capability (FMC) verification process will be conducted for final transition. The ROK and U.S. believe that since the FOC can be conducted in the second half of this year's exercises, reducing next month's joint exercises will not affect the OPCON transfer.

However, since next month's joint exercises will be held at Bunker CP Tango located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will also be established. Approximately 500 personnel will participate in the exercises, and since they will be living in the bunker for an extended period, even a single COVID-19 infection could inevitably cause gaps in both the training and command facilities.

Meanwhile, the military announced that 18 new confirmed cases occurred on the day, and about 9,230 personnel are currently in quarantine within the military. Among the five newly added confirmed cases from the previous day, two are suspected to be infections within the unit.