European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Defending South Korea continued from Page 13 Between North and South Korea lasted 37 months. More than 5 million americans served in Korea with 140,000 casualties. The country was rubble and 2 million South korean soldiers and civilians had died by the time the armistice was signed in 1953. American forces the largest contingent among 16 nations who fought on the Side of the South were seen As heroes. In the immediate aftermath of the bloody and horrible civil War. It became a National passion to make certain that americans never leave Korea again. Americans became the key deterrent to renewed communist aggression. Now Radical students yell Quot Yankee go Home Quot Burn effigies of Uncle Sam and stomp american flags painted on roadways at College campuses. The korean War remembered vividly by the 1950s generation is Only a textbook to today s korean Soldier an Independent consumer oriented conscript who thinks Korea is no 1 and is generally indifferent toward the United states. Not so Long ago korean officers accepted american decisions but nowadays military observers say they too Are Quick to engage in confrontation. Quot on virtually All matters there has to be a negotiated yes or a negotiated no Quot says one american. For a Quick look at Korea nothing is quite As sobering As a visit to the Barren no Man s land along the 2.5-mile wide demilitarized zone rimmed with barbed wire bunkers and guar posts along both sides of the 155-mile-Long Border. On a Spring Day the undulating Hills and valleys of the Doz Are Green with new grass and yellow wildflowers. Flocks of Birds Flap overhead. Except for the camouflage netting the personnel carriers the mile Long anti tank barriers the soldiers moving in full combat gear and the sound of jeeps the Doz could be a Rural scene from a tourist brochure. Doz duty is the closest assignment the army has to combat soldiers in flak vests and helmets carry loaded automatic weapons and focus their sights directly into enemy territory. Sentries with binoculars watch communist guards from behind sandbagged guar posts. Clashes along the Border Are fewer than they used to be but incidents still occur. In february on the eve of a visit by . Secretary of defense Dick Cheney 20 shots from a North korean guar Post hit a South korean guar Post. There were no injuries the South did not return the fire. In March . And South korean forces unearthed what they said was an invasion Tunnel dug under the Border by North Korea. This was the fourth such Tunnel found and the korean defense minister said there could be As Many As 20 More. Sen. Tim Wirth d-colo., who favors cutbacks in the military said his first visit to the korean Border this Winter stunned him and made him see the threat of a North korean attack in a new Light. Analysts agree such a threat remains serious especially from terrorism and subversion and could be increased by political unrest on either Side. South koreans raise the Specter of an All out invasion. Ultimately the question is can South Korea deter communist aggression can it become self reliant few military systems have been affected by other Powers As profoundly As that of South Korea. The United states helped create the country s armed forces designed its organizational Structure and selected its first officers. South Korea this Spring is embarking on an ambitious military improvement program that entails modernizing its forces by purchasing new weaponry developing its aerospace program changing its defense Hierarchy and democratizing its military. President Roh Tae woo a former general Calls it the Quot a organization Quot of the military and it s a major step toward creating an armed forces seen As More korean and less american. The Centrepiece of the South korean military is the prestigious korean military Academy founded in 1946 and consciously modelled on the . Military Academy at West Point. Since Park Chung Hee gained Power in a 1961 military coup with some of his classmates All of South Korea s presidents have been Kama graduates. The 11 the class in 1955 produced former president Chun Doo Hwan and his successor Roh. Although civilian control of the military is taught at the Academy the sense of professional elitism an almost puritanical ethical code and a Devotion to National service has led in the past to a willingness by the military to take Over the reins of government if a threat to National Security was perceived. The 650,000 soldiers sailors airmen and marines in service Are better fed better trained and better housed than Ever before. Military service is compulsory. Draftees Are paid Only about $15 a month but there s a growing if controversial Effort to improve their lot. Revisions suggested for a new military code of conduct became Public recently and included controversial guidelines regarding the use of firearms rules for controlling civilians during violent protests and new limitations As to when and if a Soldier could disobey the order to fire. There s also a suggested ban on political involvement and on violence and abuse in the Barracks. The military like korean society is vertical rather than horizontal in Structure and koreans used to knowing their place among associates feel comfortable in the rigid authoritarian Chain of command. A within the . Military there s a willingness to Send things up the Chain Quot says a longtime Western observer. Quot but in Korea the Hierarchy serves to Send things Down the  an american meeting a military colleague asks what class he was in to determine if they have Mutual friends. A korean officer asks a new acquaintance his class to determine who is Superior. Koreans still have a reluctance to pass along bad news fearing they will be blamed and punished according to . Officers. In the . Army it would t be Korea a leaders associated press the korean Peninsula was divided into North Korea and South Korea in 1945 at the end of world War ii. In the 40 years since the South has had five leaders while the North has been dominated by Only one. Kim ii Sung 78, president of North Korea is the longest governing ruler in the communist world and the object of a slavish personality cult which reveres him As Quot great  Kim a son Kim Jong ii has been groomed to succeed him in what would be the first communist dynasty. Capitalist South Korea was first administered by the american military government. In 1948, elections were held and South Korea elected syn Man Rhee As president of the nations first Republic government. South koreans government is divided roughly into five periods. The last three Heads of state were generals or former generals. Changes in governments were sometimes turbulent and one president Park Chung Hee was assassinated. Here is the list of South koreans leaders syn Man Rhee first Republic 1948-1960. Chang Myon second Republic 1960-61. Park Chung Hee third and fourth Republic 19621980. Chun Doo Hwan fifth Republic 1980-1988. Roh Tae woo sixth Republic 1988-present. Held against an officer to report the enemy advancing on his flank but in the korean army he could be reprimanded experts say. Assessing the korean Soldier a Western military expert says Quot for a major War on the ground . Troops Are the Best. But if i had to defend an obstacle a a country a and if it required hard close fighting with limited objectives id go for the  Quot if you Tell a korean Soldier a go do it a hell go do it. No matter what the Cost. No matter if its his  in military terms North Korea seems to have More of everything. More soldiers More tanks More planes More submarines and More artillery. The majority of communist troops Are deployed offensively near the Border. North korean missiles could reach Seoul in two to three minutes bombers in eight minutes tanks in two to three hours. Is there any Hope of an arms reduction Between the Korea on april 4, South Korea formally agreed to a . Plan to Cut Back 7,000 of the 43,000 american troops by 1993, All non combatants. They include 2,000 air support personnel assigned to three . Air bases which Cheney announced in january would be closed As a Cost saving measure. This was called the first stage of . Withdrawal. Further cuts could come in 1994-95 after a review of the military situation on the Peninsula. Third stage cuts would come after 1996. North Korea has demanded a withdrawal of All . Troops. Seoul and Washington Are looking for North Korea to reciprocate with some form of comparable reduction. South korean defense minister Lee Sang Hoon has said he expects arms control talks in the Middle 1990s after concluding a non aggression pact and a peace treaty. Washington and Moscow Are pressuring the Korea to talk seriously on ways of building Mutual Confidence. Rapidly improving Trade and diplomatic ties Between anti communist Seoul and Moscow Are seen As a moderating influence Between the two Korea. War preparedness is so costly Many observers say economics will drive the Korea together Long before ideology. Since 1950, Washington has spent roughly $59 billion in Korea on War and military Aid ranging from Loans and weapons procurement to the training of korean officers. In addition to containing communism the Alliance Between South Korea and the United states has been a remarkable economic Success Story. The United states has helped South Korea become the worlds 10th largest trading nation with 1989 Trade volume of $130 billion. It is the country a growth that has spurred Washington to demand that Seoul open its markets wider to  products and pay More of the costs of keeping  troops. South Korea now absorbs $1.9 billion in land leases and pays about $300 million in direct local costs an average of $50,000 per american Soldier. The United states puts in an equal amount plus an additional $3 billion to $4 billion for indirect costs such As wages which would be incurred regardless of where the troops were stationed. Having the american forces in Korea has been Good business for the country. . Forces Korea if viewed As a business conglomerate of . And korean employees ranks As the fourth largest employer in Korea exceeded Only by the giant companies of Hyundai Samsung and Jaewoo. As the efforts continue to reduce tensions and bring the Korea closer together american businessmen and diplomats Hope the United states will be Able to develop an economic presence which is appropriate to its military and political influence. . Ambassador Gregg is optimistic. Quot we Are clearly in a constructive transition moving from our role As a military Alliance to a new and broader role As an economic and political partnership Quot he says Quot we Are i Hope entering a new decade in which the korean question will finally be  Page 14 a a a the stars and stripes sunday. A