Since the end of the Korean War, the United States has committed itself to the security of South Korea. In the 1954 U.S.-R.O.K. Mutual Defense Treaty, the United States commited to help the Republic of Korea defend itself from external aggression. In support of this commitment, the United States currently maintains about 37,000 service personnel in Korea, including the Army's Second Infantry Division and several Air Force tactical squadrons.
In the 1990s, the U.S. began the transition from a leading to a supporting role in maintaining South Korean security and the South Korean government agreed to pay a larger portion of the costs for stationing U.S. forces in Korea. On 1 December, 1994, peacetime operational control authority over all South Korean military units still under U.S. operational control was transferred to the South Korean armed forces.
Historically, the United States has been the top arms supplier to South Korea, due to the importance of having compatible weaponry. However, the South Koreans have begun an indigenous arms industry (see below) and also begun to shop for weapons from other countries, causing a decline in U.S. sales to South Korea during the 1990's.
Peace, Democracy, and Human Rights
The twentieth century has been a painful one for people on the Korean peninsula. Korea was annexed in 1910 by Japan, divided by the Soviet Union and the United States following World War Two, and then subjected to a brutal civil war. Perhaps
as many as three million Koreans were killed or wounded during the Korean War of 1950-1953. Two powerful Korean armies have maintained a bitter standoff at the 38th parallel ever
since; recent signs of a warming of relations are promising but uncertain.
Overall, though, life for people in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) has never been better. Since the Korean War of 1950-1953, the ROK has grown from a poor agrarian country to one of the world's largest economies, with a per capita
GDP of $12,600 (purchasing power parity). The 1997-98 Asian
financial crisis hit South Korea hard, but its economy is recovering.
South Korean democracy has also grown considerably. Following the Korean War, democracy was repeatedly subordinated to national security. Rigged elections, coups d'etat and the violent suppression of protesters are part of Korea's difficult post-war history. But this
has changed: current President Kim Dae-Jung is himself a former dissident
and political prisoner.
According to the U.S. State Department's 2001 human
rights report, however, there continued to be occasional credible reports of human rights abuses by the police forces. For instance, "the use or threatened use of the National Security Law (NSL) continued to infringe upon citizens civil liberties, including the right to free expression."
Furthermore, there are still reports (though their numbers are declining) that
police "verbally or physically abused suspects, including beatings, threats, and
sexual intimidation in the course of arrest and police interrogation." Women
and ethnic minorities also face violence and discrimination.
Development of Indigenous Arms Industry
High military expenditures led Seoul during the 1970s to establish indigenous military industries. In 1973, arms imports were 4.9% of all ROK imports; by 1990, this figure dropped to 0.8%, according to the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers, various years). Domestic arms production, while driving up overall costs, keeps more money in the country, employs more citizens, results in the acquisition of technological and production know-how for foreign partners and provides export opportunities.
Nearly all of South Korea's arms purchases appear to have objectives in addition to national defense. A December 1993 Wall Street Journal article said that, since the late 1980's, arms purchases have been designed for the "transfer of high technology to local industry" rather than military preparedness. Incorporation of Korean components, for example, is a high priority.
As a result, South Korea is emerging as an important second-tier arms exporter.
During 1994-1998, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute, the ROK
exported more than $100 million worth of arms. This figure may include
illegal exports of as many as 300,000 M-16s built under license in Korea. Korea is also offering its version of the U.S.-designed Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV), dubbed the Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Malaysia has bought 64 and is expected to co-produce several hundred more under license. [Primary competition came from Turkey, which was offering its own version of the same vehicle built under license in Turkey.]
Like Taiwan, South Korea also hopes to use co-production projects to decrease its dependence on foreign suppliers and to enter
new markets. South Korea is the leading recipient of offset
agreements with American defense manufacturers in the Pacific Rim, and
among the top ten recipients worldwide. For example, as part of an
offset connected to the 1991 sale of F-16
fighter-bombers, Lockheed Martin will help South Korea build an indigenous trainer/light
attack aircraft. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, during 1993-96,
South Korea entered in to twelve new offsets, half of which were direct
investments in the Korean defense industry.
Background Information
Last Updated: November 2001
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