INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS COOPERATION - THE UNITED-STATES-ROK EXPERIENCE

This paper presents an international logistics definition followed by a discussion of (1) some general principles of international logistics including the role of governments, weapon systems acquisition and log istical support and (2) the US-ROK cooperative logistics experience. I nternational logistics focuses on the political, economic and military dimensions that provide for national security through multinational m eans. Only governments can exercise political, economic and military p rocesses to arrange, generate, maintain and sustain international reso urces. In the case of the US and ROK governments, the Mutual Defense T reaty (1954) and successive agreements have set the bases for the mutu al defense of South Korea. Greater political, economic and military co operation is called for with collective security as the watchword and economic interdependency as a way of commerce. A nation's technology a nd financial assets establish the nature and scope of logistics cooper ation. As nations move up the industrial development ladder technologi cally and financially, each seeks to provide its own weapons through c odevelopment and coproduction agreements rather than be dependent upon foreign sources. Such cooperation promotes transfers of design, manuf acturing, management, and human technologies and ultimately upgrades t he industrial capacity and quality of countries' economic infrastructu re, which in turn provides the bases for breadth in mutual logistical support. Combined organizations, logistics policy and transfer of inte lligence exist for the defense of South Korea. Korean host nation supp ort is comprehensive, and a high level of interoperability exists betw een US and ROK weapons and equipment. The problem of maintaining an in teroperable system is likely to increase as more of the South Korean f orces are equipped with Korean-designed and -produced weapons. What is required by the US and ROK is that future need statements especially for sophisticated weapon systems recognize bilateral (multinational) a pplications and that the supportability of such weapon systems incorpo rate bilateral (multinational) logistic support systems. Operationally logistics remains a national responsibility and consequently the US a nd ROK logistics doctrine and operations remain separate and different . The pursuit of rationalizing these differences is continuous. Much c an be accomplished in harmonizing logistics procedures and operations by conducting joint or combined logistics exercises. Nevertheless, the combined economic and industrial power of the US and ROK coupled with the logistics policy and support systems provide a formidable deterre nt to help secure the cultural, political, social and economic integri ty of the Republic of Korea.