Tokyo-Seoul Divisions Present Formation of a United Front Regarding Pyongyang

11/10/2012
2012-11-10 by Richard Weitz In spite of a common threat, South Korea and Japan have struggled to present a united front against that threat. South Korea and Japan both face a common military threat from North Korea, made evident most recently by the DPRK artillery strike against Yeonpyeong Island in…

The Challenge of Transforming US Forces in South Korea

11/07/2012
2012-11-07 By Richard Weitz The U.S-ROK military alliance has been the foundation of both countries’ strategic policies for over fifty years. The United States and South Korea signed a Mutual Defense Treaty in October 1953 following the 1950-53 Korean War, in which 33,600 American troops were killed and more than 100,000…

The ROK and Dealing with North Korea: Change is an Uphill Battle

11/01/2012
2012-11-01 by Richard Weitz The focus of the recent 44th annual U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Security Consultative meeting between ROK National Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was managing the threat from North Korea. “North Korea remains a serious threat to both of our nations and…

Rethinking US Defense Strategy in the Pacific

10/23/2012
2012-10-23 by Robbin Laird The United States became a Pacific power by means of gaining Spanish territory after the Spanish-American war, and events in Hawaii that eventually led to Hawaii becoming a U.S. territory.  The late 19th century saw the emergence of the U.S. as a Pacific power, so the pivot…

South Korean Defense Re-Considered: Preparing for 2015

08/28/2012
2012-08-28 Second Line of Defense has been shaping a broader understanding of the challenges and opportunities in shaping a new Pacific strategy for the 21s Century.  A key part of such a strategy is focusing on the way ahead within South Korea to broaden the ability of U.S. forces in the…

Meeting the Korean Defense Challenge: The View from 7th Air Force

08/03/2012
2012-08-03 In an interview this month with Lt. General Jan-Marc Jouas, Second Line of Defense had a chance to discuss the challenges of defense in the Korean Peninsula.  This area remains a key driver for U.S. forces in the Pacific, and any consideration of how to strengthen alliances in the…

Understanding the Challenge of Deterring North Korea

08/02/2012
2012-08-02  An Interview with Lt. General (Retired) Charles R. Heflebower Lt. Gen. Charles R. Heflebower was Deputy Commander in Chief, United Nations Command; Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea; Commander, Air Component Command, Republic of Korea and U.S. Combined Forces Command; and Commander, 7th Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Osan Air…