Soldier Charged In Korea Hit And Run

[Ironduke]

Soldier Charged In Korea Hit And Run
Associated Press
November 28, 2003


SEOUL, South Korea - A U.S. soldier has been charged with leaving the scene of a car accident that killed a Korean woman Friday, the U.S. military said.

The U.S. military identified the soldier as Sgt. Jerry Olken. A news release did not give details about the accident, but said a woman named Kee Kyeong-sun was killed.

A Korean police official identified the victim as a 22-year-old Korean woman and said four others were injured. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Olken was being questioned by Korean police.

The U.S. military did not disclose Olken's hometown, only identifying him as a member of the 1-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion.

Occasional accidents and crimes involving U.S. soldiers have prompted anti-U.S. demonstrations in South Korea. Activists use such occasions to demand the withdrawal of the 37,000 U.S. troops from South Korea.

Last year, there were huge protests across South Korea after U.S. military trials acquitted two American soldiers of negligent homicide in the deaths of two South Korean girls. The soldiers were on a training mission when their armored vehicle struck the 13-year-old girls.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent?...L_korea_112803

[Leader]

I for one would like just to pull those troops out. South Korea is more then capable of defending itself. Those soldiers are sitting ducks if a war ever breaks out, and the South Koreans don't want us there. So, it's time to go. Those recourses are better used elsewhere.

[Ray]

Would it not be an over reaction to pull out troops because of a hit and run. The man was wrong, but not the US and the US cannot be blamed for the same or should change its policy for such an incident.

The very fact that the US is there is very important not only for S Korea, but to keep a balance in the Far East. Japan, Korea and Taiwan requires a counter balance since they are US Allies.

[Leader]

Originally posted by Ray
Would it not be an over reaction to pull out troops because of a hit and run. The man was wrong, but not the US and the US cannot be blamed for the same or should change its policy for such an incident.

The very fact that the US is there is very important not only for S Korea, but to keep a balance in the Far East. Japan, Korea and Taiwan requires a counter balance since they are US Allies.

It's not a reaction to a car accident. If you read my reason for pull out, You'd notice one of them isn't "lets leave because a soldier ran someone over.

[Officer of Engineers]

Originally posted by Leader
I for one would like just to pull those troops out. South Korea is more then capable of defending itself. Those soldiers are sitting ducks if a war ever breaks out, and the South Koreans don't want us there. So, it's time to go. Those recourses are better used elsewhere.

The 2ID is anything but a sitting duck and the SKs would find it impossible to replace the 2ID anytime soon.

[Leader]

Originally posted by Officer of Engineers
The 2ID is anything but a sitting duck and the SKs would find it impossible to replace the 2ID anytime soon.

The question is not whether they can be replaced. The question is whether they are needed. They're not.

[Officer of Engineers]

Originally posted by Leader
The question is not whether they can be replaced. The question is whether they are needed. They're not.

Depends on what you mean.

The field of battle as currently envisioned, the 2ID definetely have their place and would leave a big gapping hole that the SKs would find it impossible to replace.

Doesn't mean that the NKs could win but they could certainly do scorched earth.

If the 2ID leaves, then there would have to be a big re-alingment of SK forces (which are currently under American command btw) that the SKs neither have the knolwedge nor the resources to do at the moment.

To replace the 2ID with re-aligned SK forces would take at least a 10 year project. Seoul did a study that to replace the ordnance the Americans have in SK alone would take four years and quadriple their current defence budget. That doesn't even include the training and capital projects such as the 2ID's Stryker Bde.

The SKs could certainly win a war against the north without the US but it would be far more harder and far more bloodier without American help. It would most certainly be a pyhric victory.

[Leader]

Originally posted by Officer of Engineers
Depends on what you mean.

The field of battle as currently envisioned, the 2ID definetely have their place and would leave a big gapping hole that the SKs would find it impossible to replace.

Doesn't mean that the NKs could win but they could certainly do scorched earth.

If the 2ID leaves, then there would have to be a big re-alingment of SK forces (which are currently under American command btw) that the SKs neither have the knolwedge nor the resources to do at the moment.

To replace the 2ID with re-aligned SK forces would take at least a 10 year project. Seoul did a study that to replace the ordnance the Americans have in SK alone would take four years and quadriple their current defence budget. That doesn't even include the training and capital projects such as the 2ID's Stryker Bde.

The SKs could certainly win a war against the north without the US but it would be far more harder and far more bloodier without American help. It would most certainly be a pyhric victory.

If the Koreans aren't interested in us staying, then what is the point in leaving the troops there? The Koreans think that they can defend themselves, and they can. There are certainly more useful things those troops could be doing. Such as, guarding the US border instead of a border of a foreign nation.

[Ironduke]

The South Koreans are quite capable of defending themselves, with this I agree, but I also think the North Koreans are far less likely to take any gambles with US forces stationed across the border.

I'm assuming when you speak of pulling troops out, you also mean air and naval assets the US has in South Korea.

[Leader]

Originally posted by ironman420
The South Koreans are quite capable of defending themselves, with this I agree, but I also think the North Koreans are far less likely to take any gambles with US forces stationed across the border.

I'm assuming when you speak of pulling troops out, you also mean air and naval assets the US has in South Korea.

I can't live with leaving the bases there. They might have some strategic use. As to the border, I think the North is likely to try anything anyway, period. I don't think China would like a possibly nuclear war right next to it.

[Officer of Engineers]

Originally posted by Leader
If the Koreans aren't interested in us staying, then what is the point in leaving the troops there? The Koreans think that they can defend themselves, and they can. There are certainly more useful things those troops could be doing. Such as, guarding the US border instead of a border of a foreign nation.

Actually, both NK and SK do not want the 2ID to move from the DMZ. They're being used as hostages by the north so that the US would not start a war (ie within range of their guns).

SK are a democratic country. The majority of the people wants the Americans to stay (seen but not heard) but you will always have the vocal minority that would want otherwise.

The Americans are right now the only force stopping the NKs from doing anything stupid. I have absolutely no doubt that once they're gone, stupid thoughts would begin to encrouch in Kim's head.

As things currently stands, once the NKs breach the DMZ, they have free run of the country and the only force capable (more than capable) of killing them once they break through is the 2ID.

That more than anything else is stopping NK adventures.

[Praxus]

As things currently stands, once the NKs breach the DMZ, they have free run of the country and the only force capable (more than capable) of killing them once they break through is the 2ID.

You yourself have said that they could not use any armoured force to punch through the DMZ because of the cratering caused by the artillery to destroy the minefields. So it would be an almost total Infantry force. So it would be a light infantry force(well over 1 million) running into 600,000 well trained(not compared to western standereds but compared to NK) Soldiers that have better technology, the supplies they need, and they would have the ability to use their armour something the North Koreans would not have(not that they are any match for South Korean armour). All we are talking about here is the 2ID not being there, not no American involvment in a war. I wonder what 100 B-52's loaded up with Cluster Munitions would do to a million troops attempting to take Seoul.

But seriously could you explain to me how the North Koreans could take South Korea?

If the 2ID leaves, then there would have to be a big re-alingment of SK forces (which are currently under American command btw)

I like that, 650,000 troops under our command.

[Officer of Engineers]

Originally posted by Praxus
But seriously could you explain to me how the North Koreans could take South Korea?

They can't win and they don't care. They can burn South Korea to the ground while dying and that's what they care about.

As to how, the SKs are banking almost 100% on the DMZ. Once the DMZ is breached, those SK forces at the DMZ would be rendered non-consquential.

[Praxus]

Because the South Korean Forces aren't exactly the best manouvering forces?

Oh yah I connected the dots:D

:D

[Officer of Engineers]

Originally posted by Praxus
Because the South Korean Forces aren't exactly the best manouvering forces?

Oh yah I connected the dots:D

:D

I love it when I can see someone's light bulb turn on.

Not so simple anymore, heh? The devil is in the details and the details doesn't give a pretty picture of the SKs standing alone against the NKs.

The SKs basically have three lines of defence - the DMZ, Seoul, and Pusan (as in the Pusan Perimeter). If left alone, the SKs would never be able to stop the NKs at the DMZ. That leaves Seoul and Pusan.

The best case scenario is that the NKs would go for Seoul. They would die there and do substantial damage to the capital but the factories and the rice paddies further south would be less damaged.

The worst case is that the NKs bypass Seoul and wreck havoc before dying at Pusan. In which case, South Korea ceases to be one of the Four Tigers and turn into a starving refugee disaster.

Now, who wants the 2ID to leave?