Gyeonggi-do Debates Proposal to Cancel 'Hanmi Joint Military Exercises'

Ha Tae-kyung, Future United Party Lawmaker, "Got the Wrong Address"
Lee Jae-gang, Provincial Deputy Governor for Peace, "Lawmaker Ha, Please Study a Bit"

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-gang, Deputy Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province, responded to United Future Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung's criticism that "Gyeonggi Province was mistaken in recommending the cancellation of the ROK-US joint military exercises" by saying, "Study a little."

On the 1st, Deputy Governor Lee stated on Facebook, "Everyone already knows that this ROK-US joint military exercise minimizes additional troops, does not conduct maneuver training, and is carried out in the form of war games," adding, "Even if a Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) is conducted, a much larger number of ROK-US Forces Korea personnel, including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps units by unit, position, and mission, enter confined and enclosed bunkers to train, so the risk of COVID-19 spread is very high."

He further explained the background, saying, "Preventing the spread of COVID-19 is Gyeonggi Province's top administrative priority, and the recommendation to the Ministry of Unification to cancel the ROK-US joint military exercises was made to protect the lives and safety of the ROK military and USFK soldiers participating in the exercises."

According to Gyeonggi Province, as of the 30th of last month, there were 121 confirmed COVID-19 cases among USFK personnel, of which 107 are stationed in Gyeonggi Province. Recently, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the United States exceeded 4 million, and the death toll surpassed 150,000, indicating a serious situation.

Deputy Governor Lee added, "Considering this situation, if the ROK-US joint military exercises are conducted, there is a very high risk of a large-scale community infection of COVID-19 originating from USFK personnel, and the damage would be borne entirely by the residents of Gyeonggi Province and the public. Therefore, we requested the government to cancel the exercises."

He went on to say, "I cannot help but ask again whether lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung will take responsibility for insisting that the ROK-US joint military exercises must be held even under these circumstances," and sharply criticized, "It is lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung who miscalculated the situation."

On the same day, lawmaker Ha pointed out on Facebook, "Gyeonggi Province recommended to the Ministry of Unification the cancellation of the ROK-US joint military exercises, using COVID-19 and the deterioration of inter-Korean relations as excuses," and said, "They miscalculated the situation."

Earlier, on the 31st of last month, Gyeonggi Province requested the Ministry of Unification to cancel the ROK-US joint military exercises scheduled for August "to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to restore trust in inter-Korean relations."

In the recommendation letter, the province expressed concern, stating, "COVID-19 prevention is our government's top national agenda and Gyeonggi Province's highest priority administrative task," and "The ROK-US joint military exercises could become a catalyst for the spread of COVID-19."