Should U.S. Military Forces Remain in Korea After Reunification

摘要

Korea has been divided into two nations since the end of World War II. Thenorthern portion of the peninsula, North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK), is a hard-line, Stalinist-Marxist, regime. However, the southern part of the peninsula, South Korea (Republic of Korea or ROK), is a nascent democracy with a market economy. The collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has also increased the expectation in the ROK that Communism will suffer a similar fate in the DPRK, and that Korea will be reunified under the South Korean government. Such an event presents the United States with a major policy issue: Should U.S. forces remain on the Korean peninsula after reunification. This paper is based on three assumptions: (1) the reunification of North and South Korea will occur in a peaceful manner; (2) the DPRK will collapse within 10-20 years; and (3) a reunified Korean nation will be administered by the government in Seoul. It discusses the military, political and