Commander sees no unusual movement in N. Korean military despite rumors of Kim's health failure

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- The commander of U.S. forces in Korea said Wednesday the North Korean military has been making no suspicious maneuvers amid rumors of its leader Kim Jong-il recovering from a stroke.

"We have not seen anything out of the normal," Gen. Walter Sharp told a press
briefing at the Pentagon, when asked if the North Korean military has been making
unusual movements.
Reports said Kim has been recovering from a stroke since Aug. 14, when the
reclusive leader disappeared from public view.
North Korean media in recent days reported that Kim had watched a soccer game but
provided no details nor photos or video footage.
Sharp said he did not have any specific information on Kim's health, saying only
the combined forces of South Korea and the U.S. are ready for any contingency.
"What we're focused on is what is going on up in North Korea and are we, the
ROK-U.S. alliance, prepared for any contingency, whether it be an all-out war
plan that we practice any day or instability in the North?" he said. "And we are
prepared for that."
The commander said he hopes the North Korean leader will be able to abide by his
denuclearization commitment.
"Secretary Hill is working very hard on that as he works through those
negotiations," Sharp said. "I will say that we want to make sure that what he
agreed to in the six-party talks he is actually accomplishing."
Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill returned from a three-day trip to
Pyongyang over the past weekend amid reports he has yet to make a breakthrough on
a verification regime on North Korea's nuclear facilities.
Hill is said to have presented a face-saving measure for North Koreans who would
not agree to the U.S. demand for unfettered access to its nuclear facilities.
Sharp did not confirm reports that North Korea fired two short-range missiles in
the Yellow Sea Tuesday.
"I can't share anything specific, but I will say that we continue to be concerned
about the development, the proliferation and the testing of missile systems in
North Korea," he said. "They have a long history of that and it is a danger for
the region and we're concerned about it."
On the North's nuclear capability, he said, "They claim they have, and I think we
have to agree that -- and we have to acknowledge that, that they claim that they
have nuclear-weapons capability, and that is a great concern to us."
Sharp, who doubles as commander of the combined forces of South Korea and the
U.S. forces in Korea, dismissed concerns regarding South Korea's retaking of
battlefield control of Korean troops from the U.S. in 2012.
"The dissolution of Combined Forces Command will not end what has been the
strongest and most enduring partnership, but instead it will bring it to a new
level of maturity and strength," he said. "I cannot emphasize enough the U.S.
remains committed to the defense of our great ally, the Republic of Korea. This
new structure does not change that commitment in any way at all."
In August, the combined forces of the two sides successfully tested the
operational control system that will be established after 2012, he said.
"We worked the scenario just as it will be done after OPCON transfer, with the
ROK chairman, General Kim, being responsible for making the warfighting
decisions," he said. "And we -- me as a KORCOM commander in a supporting role
providing forces and supporting what he needed in the warfight. It went extremely
well."
Sharp said the U.S. has no immediate plans to move some of U.S. units in South
Korea to other conflict regions, although he said a brigade was redeployed to
Afghanistan from Korea in the past.
On the possible reduction of the 28,500-strong U.S. troops in Korea, he said, "I
don't foresee that happening."
hdh@yna.co.kr