By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
U.S. President George W. Bush has nominated Gen. Burwell B. Bell, commander of U.S. ground troops in Europe, to replace Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, chief of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), the USFK said Tuesday.
``Gen. Bell will replace Gen. LaPorte at a date to be determined in early 2006,’’ the USFK said in a statement.
Gen. Bell has concurrently served as commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Allied Land Component Command located in Heidelberg, Germany, since March 2004.
His appointment was made in close consultation and with the full concurrence of the South Korean government, the statement said.
The appointment of the USFK commander is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate, it added.
Gen. Bell served as an Armor Battalion Operations officer at Camp Casey in Tongduchon, north of Seoul, from June 1979 to June 1980. He also has extensive experience with the Korean Theater as former commander of the 3rd U.S. Corps at Fort Hood in Texas.
Gen. LaPorte will also quit as commander of the United Nations Command (UNC) and the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), according to the USFK.
The outgoing U.S. general, who has been at the helm of the USFK since May 2002, is the longest-serving commander in the USFK’s history.
The U.S. maintains 32,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent force against communist North Korea. The USFK plans to reduce its troops to 25,000 by 2008 under Washington’s plan to reorganize its global forces.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
댓글 안에 당신의 성숙함도 담아 주세요.
'오늘의 한마디'는 기사에 대하여 자신의 생각을 말하고 남의 생각을 들으며 서로 다양한 의견을 나누는 공간입니다. 그러나 간혹 불건전한 내용을 올리시는 분들이 계셔서 건전한 인터넷문화 정착을 위해 아래와 같은 운영원칙을 적용합니다.
자체 모니터링을 통해 아래에 해당하는 내용이 포함된 댓글이 발견되면 예고없이 삭제 조치를 하겠습니다.
불건전한 댓글을 올리거나, 이름에 비속어 및 상대방의 불쾌감을 주는 단어를 사용, 유명인 또는 특정 일반인을 사칭하는 경우 이용에 대한 차단 제재를 받을 수 있습니다. 차단될 경우, 일주일간 댓글을 달수 없게 됩니다.
명예훼손, 개인정보 유출, 욕설 등 법률에 위반되는 댓글은 관계 법령에 의거 민형사상 처벌을 받을 수 있으니 이용에 주의를 부탁드립니다.
Close
x