| Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal, commanding general of the Eighth U.S. Army, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at Yongsan Garrison, central Seoul, Feb. 22. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
8th US Army commander calls for readiness
By Jun Ji-hye
North Korea's next "logical" step may be the test-fire of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), considering its young leader's focus on the technological development of ballistic missiles, the commanding general of the Eighth U.S. Army said.
During an interview with The Korea Times, Feb. 22, Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal, who took command of the Eighth Army on Feb. 2 last year, said, "Certainly, what we have seen has been Kim Jong-un's focus on development of his capabilities of ballistic missiles."
He cited the North's two nuclear tests and 22 launches of ballistic missiles such as the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) last year.
The North's ICBM, believed to have a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, could strike targets on the U.S. mainland in theory, but has not been tested yet.
"As you look at the acceleration of Kim's emphasis on ballistic missile technology as well as its weapons of mass destruction, the year 2016 clearly has been the year of dramatic changes with regard to North Korean threats," he said.
The commander said the latest provocation on Feb. 12, in which the North fired a new IRBM, was yet another step of Kim's emphasis on technological development.
During the launch, Pyongyang successfully fired its new missile propelled by a solid-fuel engine using a caterpillar-tracked, self-propelled missile-launching vehicle. Using such a system enables a country to prepare missile launches in greater secrecy, making it much more difficult to detect, trace and intercept them, according to military experts.
"As Kim has developed the capability, we think the next logical step that he may pursue will be that (ICBM) launch… so we have to be prepared for that contingency," he said.
Lt. Gen. Vandal noted that the armed forces of the U.S. and South Korea have been preparing in a variety of different ways ― from ballistic missile defense to keeping an eye on how thing are being developed in North Korea.
"As we look at that, there has to be a corresponding increase in our readiness across the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and across the U.S.-ROK Combined Forces Command," he said, giving an example of the implementation of rotational brigades that he describes are in the "much higher level of readiness."
He also cited that the U.S. Army has added in multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) battalions as well as Apache helicopter battalions.
The USFK recently replaced the 30 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior observation and light attack choppers that were stationed on the Korean Peninsula with the 24 AH-64D Apache heavy attack helicopters to better counter growing threats from North Korea.
As part of efforts to enhance the ballistic missile defense capability, the commander made it clear that a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery will be deployed on South Korean soil "sometime in this year."
South Korea and the United States announced their decision to deploy the battery last July, but concerns over possible delays or a reversal of the decision have been raised especially after President Park Geun-hye was impeached by the National Assembly in December for a corruption and influence-peddling scandal.
USFK Commander Gen. Vincent K. Brooks said last November that the anti-missile system will be brought over in the next eight to 10 months.
Regarding this, the Eighth Army commander said, "The initial assessment that Gen. Brooks conveyed is still accurate," adding that the timetable may change based upon the final agreement between the U.S. and South Korean governments.
On the upcoming Key Resolve and Foal Eagle annual joint military exercises beginning next month, Vandal said the U.S. armed forces will bring together a variety of different units ― marines, army, naval and air forces.
"All of them collectively participate, some here in the peninsula and some remotely," he said, noting that the exercises are to "ensure our readiness for whatever provocations and whatever aggression may occur."
Earlier this month, Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his U.S. counterpart James Mattis agreed, during their talks in Seoul, on the need to carry out the strengthened annual exercises this year amid evolving nuclear and missile threats from the North.
Based on this agreement, this year's drills are expected to be conducted on the largest-ever scale, according to Seoul's ministry officials. Some of the U.S. strategic assets are also expected to be sent in a show of force against Pyongyang's potential provocations, officials added.
Last year, 310,000 troops from South Korea and 17,000 from the United States participated in the exercises.
Commenting on a massive $10.8 billion project to relocate the USFK, the commander said the construction project at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, is "the largest construction project in the U.S. Army over the last 15 years."
The project has proceeded based on the two major relocation plans previously signed by Seoul and Washington ― the Yongsan Relocation Plan (YRP) and the Land Partnership Plan (LPP).
The YRP is to vacate Yongsan Garrison, relocating most facilities and forces including the USFK and the Eighth Army headquarters to Camp Humphreys, while the LPP will redeploy the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID), now stationed north of Seoul, also to Pyeongtaek.
"In fact, the Eighth Army, our headquarters, have already started to move this summer," Vandal said, noting that majority of units will be moved by 2018 but some units won't, based on the conditions.
"You have to keep in mind there are two aspects to that," he said. "One is the buildings, the actual infrastructure, and the second part is all of the command, control communication and computers. All of that have to be installed."
He also said the 210 Fire Brigade, the U.S. Army's key anti-artillery unit stationed in Camp Casey, north of Seoul, would remain there until the conditions are met.
"That would be sometime we project after 2020," he said.
The conditions for this include the completion of South's artillery reinforcement plan, according to Seoul officials.
Regarding the Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army (KATUSA), the commander said, "Young men from the Republic of Korea that serve as our KATUSAs are absolutely some of the best men I have ever worked with. They are well-educated and highly motivated. They are an integral part of the Eight Army."
KATUSA is a unique military program initiated during the Korean War, under which Seoul provides the U.S. military with soldiers who speak both English and Korean, allowing for greater functionality and maneuverability of U.S. forces throughout the Korean Peninsula.
He added he would like to see them helping U.S. soldiers learn the Korean language and culture better rather than always trying to speak English.