S.Korean media traps US in diplomatic dilemma

• Source: Global Times
• [22:08 July 21 2010]
• Comments

By Ding Gang

The long-awaited US aircraft carrier finally arrived in South Korea. According to the US military, the George Washington aircraft carrier of the 7th Fleet and three destroyers were scheduled to arrive in South Korea late yesterday, preparing for the US-Korea joint military exercises in the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan.

In the "media war" about whether the US aircraft carrier should be sent, people from diplomatic and military fields and think tanks in South Korea, the US and China have frequently expressed their opinions. The incident continues to heat up after being stirred by the media.

It is neither the first time, and unlikely the last time that an US aircraft carrier has par-ticipated or will participate in such joint military exercises with allies like Japan and South Korea.

Is the exercise this time very different just because it is held in the Yellow Sea?

Strangely, South Korean officials made a high-profile announcement about the exercises and then the South Korean media deliberately played it up.

The US remained silent for quite a long time after South Korea disclosed the informa-tion. For 20 days from early June to late June, the US did not confirm the news despite repeatedly being questioned by the Chinese media.

Maybe the US had already decided to send its aircraft carrier to participate in joint military exercises, or maybe the draft has to be finalized. Now it is not important whether this choice was made before or after the publicity. But the role of South Korean media in this incident is worth pondering.

The incident became the focus of intense discussion, especially in China, where public opinion turned against the US military, creating a difficult situation for the US.

If it didn't send an aircraft carrier to the Yellow Sea, hawks in the US would accuse the White House of appeasing China, while sending the carrier risked irritating China.

Of course, there are three good reasons for the US to join the exercises. By doing so it can maintain pressure on North Korea, emphasize the US military presence in the region, and conduct training. After all, the situation in the Korean Peninsula is still tense and clashes might break out at any time.

But the US seems to have been somewhat reluctantly forced into this action.

Originally, it could show strength by action without words, but now it has to enter the Yellow Sea amid the shouts of the South Korean media and strong opposition from the Chinese media. It is not what Americans want to see.

Then why should Koreans heat up this seemingly "conventional" action? Maybe, as some experts suggested, South Korea wants to kill two birds with one stone. It can show its toughness after years of relatively soft policies while ultimately relying on the US to enhance its strategic position in the region.