Key activities during the 1999-2000 winter training cycle were at record levels, a demonstrated effort to improve readiness. That change, in turn, may trigger some sensitive alterations in the relationship between Seoul and Washington, if the threat of North Korean aggression is perceived as diminishing. According to Dr Moon, Kim Jong-il has reasoned that American forces can play a role in the stabilization of the region, even after unification. Without their presence, Moon claimed, there could be a power vacuum, leading to regional imbalance, and perhaps even an unhealthy growth in Japanese hegemony. Ironically, some South Koreans already feel there is no longer a need for an American military presence on the peninsula, says Moon.
History is replete with examples of the strategic success of ''divide and conquer''.
This potential political gridlock could halt the progress of the Korean confederation. Ltd. Asia Times Online is designed and produced by Multimedia Asia Co., Ltd.