SEOUL, Republic of Korea –
Later this year in June, the U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will
commemorate 65 years of partnership since both nations first amalgamated in June
1950 as the US-ROK Alliance (the Alliance) to repel the invasion by the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
It didn't take long for
the partnership to achieve success and in 1953 an Armistice was signed bringing
an end to the hostilities of the Korean War, but leaving the two neighboring
nations in a de-facto state of war.
As the Alliance continued to thrive
over the last six and a half decades various explanations have been proffered
for the almost inexplicable sustained success between two nations separated by
almost 7,000 miles who couldn't be more dissimilar in terms of language, culture
and customs.
Some of the more common justifications for the long-term
viability of the Alliance include the deterrent effect that the aggregation of
forces presents, while other pundits point to the international political
legitimacy a partnership with the U.S. inevitably brings with it.
The
U.S. National Security Strategy deems both rationales as plausible stating that,
"Alliances are force multipliers: through multinational cooperation and
coordination, the sum of our actions is always greater than if we act
alone."
But if those were the only reasons behind the success of the
partnership then why hasn't the Alliance witnessed the same or similar
strategic-level frictions that have often plagued America's multilateral
coalition efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan or even those that the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization has faced during their almost 66-year multilateral Alliance?
After all, building cohesion, whether strategic, operational or tactical, is not
easy, even among the closest of allies.
Further analysis of the
partnership between the U.S. and the ROK under a utilitarian lens raises
questions as to what, or who, paved the way to breach this cultural divide and
solidified the unbreakable bond that serves as a cornerstone of what many
consider to be the world's strongest Alliance?
To find the answer one
must go back to the very beginning of the partnership during the Korean War
where almost serendipitously, the solution arose out of necessity when it became
apparent to U.S. and ROK military leadership of a dire need for an intermediary
to improve synchronization and interoperability to repel the rapidly advancing
forces from the North.
During a brief meeting to discuss the status of
the war, then Korean President Lee, Syngman met with U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur
and the result was an informal agreement to establish a program where Korean
Soldiers would augment U.S. forces.
"In early August, the U.S. Army made
the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) program official,
absorbing approximately 30,000 to 40,000 Korean Soldiers to integrate with U.S.
combat units," said Kim, Yun Sik, Professor, University of Maryland University
College, Yongsan Garrison.
"At first the KATUSAs were untrained and
ineffective as Soldiers, however as the war stabilized the bilingual translation
skills of the KATUSAs proved invaluable and their duties expanded to scouting,
intelligence, guarding prisoners of war and assisting refugees through
interpretation."
As the war came to a close the program was deemed such
a tremendous success that the Korean government extended it beyond the Armistice
and today the KATUSA program is stronger than ever.
At its most basic
level, the program centers on relationship-building through shared learning
experiences and mutual hardships. The time spent between KATUSAs and their
American counterparts allow for a deeper appreciation and understanding of
Korean culture and indoctrinate U.S. Soldiers into the Korean Theater of
Operations.
"As American Soldiers try to (fulfill) their duties they
come across many cultural difficulties and they…need a lot of assistance from
Koreans," said Chairman Yoon, Yoon Soo, CEO of the Acushnet Company and Chairman
of Fila Global. "To achieve our common goal of maintaining defense and
deterrence on the Korean Peninsula you have to work together… to be in a
position to understand each other better."
"As augmentees to U.S.
Soldiers, KATUSAs live in the same barracks, eat in the same mess halls and work
in the same offices, so it is a really good opportunity to improve their
understanding of (each other)," continued Yoon. "We have to work together to try
to keep this country and peninsula free and peaceful."
Eighth Army
Commanding General Lt. Gen. Bernard Champoux echoed Yoon's sentiments, but also
believes trust at all levels of the Alliance is vital to the coalitions success.
"No other country allows its citizens to serve under the leadership of a
foreign military," said Champoux. "Serving alongside our Korean partners
provides the language and cultural expertise that are vital to building and
maintaining trust at every level of the Alliance."
"We are an enduring
team forged in the fire of war more than six decades ago and we are proud to
maintain the legacy of the generations of U.S., KATUSAs and ROK Soldiers who
have defended liberty together on Freedom's Frontier."
It has been
almost 65 years since the KATUSA program was established, and since that time
over 450,000 South Koreans having served their country in the program.
Throughout its history the program has served as a force multiplier increasing
combat readiness for Eighth Army and the US-ROK Alliance and has served as a
symbol for the mutual respect and sacrifice shared between both nations.
While the KATUSA program might not be the only reason for the sustained
success of the Alliance, it has certainly played a major role in strengthening
our combined interoperability and bridging the cultural differences between our
two nations.