17. ROK Military Development
Stratfor analyzes the ROK Defense Ministry's recent report calling for the gradual buildup of forces in preparation for a possible withdrawal of US troops. The article argues, "On the one hand, [the ROK] relies on U.S. troops to guard against potential North Korean attacks. Yet on the other hand, the troops' very presence increases the likelihood of conflict, and therefore compromises the success of the Sunshine Policy.... Caught in this bind, South Korea has done the only thing it can: It has formally raised the possibility of an incremental shift away from dependence on the United States. Moreover, it has done so at a time when the region seems poised to re-emerge as a focal point of U.S. strategic concern.
"South Korea Preparing For U.S. Troop Withdrawal"