VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #3438/01 3370933
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 030933Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7549
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3493
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 8589
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3626
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP// PRIORITY
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 2290
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA CC SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J3 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 003438 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: END OF THE U.S.-ROK ALLIANCE 
TAGS: PARM MARR MOPS KS KN
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL HAWK SALE TO SOUTH KOREA 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, Reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY.  It is Post's assessment that the Republic 
of Korea's acquisition of the Global Hawk system is essential 
to U.S. interests and to the maintenance of the ROK-U.S. 
Alliance in the years ahead.  Key to the success of the 
Alliance for more than five decades has been our ability to 
maintain an accurate picture of North Korea's military 
capabilities, activities, and intentions.  At present, we 
rely on U.S.-provided Intelligence, Surveillance and 
Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, such as the U2 aircraft. 
However, in 2012, the ROK military will assume wartime 
Operational Control (OPCON) from the U.S.-led Combined Forces 
Command, and with it, primary responsibility for gathering 
intelligence on North Korea.  Simultaneously, the U2 aircraft 
that currently provide ISR coverage of the Korean Peninsula 
will be retired.   Therefore, in order to maintain adequate 
ISR capabilities -- and ensure that the Alliance is able to 
monitor and deter the North Korean threat -- in 2012 and 
beyond, Post asks that the Department join DoD in supporting 
the sale of the Global Hawk system to the ROK.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) The U.S. and ROK militaries are working together 
closely to transition wartime OPCON in 2012 without any gap 
in the effective deterrence of the North Korean threat.  This 
means that the ROKG must enhance its ISR abilities.  To do 
so, the ROKG has expressed interest in procuring an RQ-4 
Global Hawk High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial 
Vehicle system (&Global Hawk8), consisting of four Unmanned 
Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and one complete ground control system 
by 2012. 
 
¶3.  (C) In addition to helping prepare the ROKG for 
assumption of wartime OPCON, ROK acquisition of Global Hawk 
will also augment U.S. ISR capabilities when the Pacific 
Command retires its U2 aircraft in 2011-12 and replaces them 
with Global Hawks.  Alone, these U.S. assets will be 
insufficient to provide adequate coverage of the Korean 
Peninsula and must be augmented with Korean-owned and 
operated Global Hawks that will provide real-time data 
simultaneously to ROK and U.S. analysts. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) 
currently restricts the transfer of Global Hawk as a Category 
1 UAV system.  At the MTCR Plenary Session November 5-9 
however, the USG delegation was unable to secure approval for 
our proposal to amend MTCR Category 1 to allow for the 
transfer of Global Hawk. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Under national discretion authorities, the USG has 
authorized the transfer of Global Hawk to NATO-Plus Nations. 
Like the NATO-Plus Nations, Korea is a close ally that can be 
trusted with this technology.  As this interagency export 
policy has already been used to authorize the transfer of 
Global Hawk, the addition of Korea should not be seen as 
alarming to the international community because it does not 
constitute further broadening of national discretionary 
authorities. 
 
¶6.  (U) On 23 July 2007 Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) submitted 
legislation to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that, 
if approved, will include Korea in the Arms Export Control 
Act (AECA) and the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) as a 
NATO-Plus Nation.  However, because of long lead-times in 
contracting and manufacturing Global Hawk, the Joint U.S. 
Military Advisory Group - Korea advises that it is important 
we act now. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) We understand that DoD supports the ROK's 
acquisition of ISR capabilities so long as they are 
consistent with its international commitments and national 
declarations.  DoD has further stated that if Global Hawk 
becomes available it would be exclusively sold on an FMS 
basis, which will enforce upon Korea strict enhanced 
procedures for end-use monitoring compliance that includes 
pre-delivery, annual, and disposal inspections. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) After an appropriate USG releasability 
determination has been made, Korea will still have to amend 
its bilateral "self-declaration" called the New Missile 
Guidelines of 2001; a policy that mirrors MTCR restrictions. 
Korea understands that this will be required, but will not do 
so before the USG has clearly indicated its willingness to 
release Global Hawk. 
 
¶9. (C)  Given the need for the ROK to acquire this capability 
in conjunction with its assumption of wartime OPCON, as well 
as the FMS safeguards and bilateral understandings that would 
apply, Post fully supports approval for South Korea's 
acquisition of the Global Hawk system. 
VERSHBOW