No APEC Afterglow, Part I

For a while, it seemed that South Korea’s hosting of the APEC Summit would be recorded as an unqualified success. The photo opportunities, for all their awkwardness, seemed to go according to well-laid plans. The preponderance of bad press went to Japan, where a popular backlash has also been building. Anti-American protests were relatively muted; those that attracted the most attention in the U.S. media were against competition from foreign imports, along with one against North Korea. Gateway Pundit (thanks for linking, Jim!) has a great photograph of protestors trying to burn a photograph of Kim Jong Il while police try to extinguish the flames. It’s a safe bet that the Roh Administration would not have extended the same authoritarian courtesies to George W. Bush had he been two blocks away.

None of those things will have much of an impact on U.S. public opinion; however, some stunning incompetence by the Roh Administration clearly drew ire from Korea-watchers and policy-makers in the United States.

I’ve already noted here that the South Korean contribution in Iraq is of little military value, but it’s more telling that an announcement like this would happen during an international summit, while both President Bush and the leaders of other nations, including China and Japan, were in Korea.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it will begin preparations to cut troops starting next April. In Feb. 2004, the National Assembly approved the initial deployment of 3,600 forces. When the first deployment was completed in September last year, 3,655 troops were stationed in Irbil, in the northern Kurdish region of Iraq. South Korea is aiming at maintaining a 2,600-strong contingent in Iraq next year. As of now, 3,260 troops are stationed in Irbil after South Korea adjusted some missions.

“We have taken into account the Iraqi government’s requests, the atmosphere in the United Nations, changes of multi-national forces in Iraq and the U.S.-South Korea alliance,” Mr. Yoon said. “We believe the planned troop cut is possible based on our deployment programs for next year, a stabilized security climate in Iraq and other changes.”

Most of the troops to return from Iraq will be medical and engineering units rather than combat forces, a Defense Ministry source said, adding that the military plans to maintain its current level of security. The official said the troop cut is a sign for Korean businesses to enter the Iraqi market.

What could be the explanation for such inept timing? Occam’s Razor tells us that the simplest explanation is generally the best. In this case, it points to simple ineptitude and chaos in the Roh Administration:

The officials said they had not intended to make it public knowledge during President Bush’s stay in Korea and could not explain how the news leaked.

Although Korea has been discussing the scale at which it will reduce troops with the U.S for several months, it did not notify Washington of the announcement in advance, the officials said.