New Korean war could involve Canada, federal documents suggest

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New Korean war could involve Canada, federal documents suggest

By Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – Fri, 26 Nov 11:25

PM EST

...OTTAWA - If war breaks out on the Korean peninsula, Canada could become

embroiled due to a half-century-old United Nations military alliance, federal

documents reveal.

Canada's military obligations in the volatile region are outlined in a briefing

note prepared for Defence Minister MacKay shortly after North Korea

detonated a nuclear device last year.

The note by the Defence Department's policy branch, which was obtained by The

Canadian Press, says the UN alliance could be used to generate an international

fighting force if war erupts.

North Korea ratcheted up its war rhetoric Friday following its deadly artillery

barrage of a South Korean island Tuesday.

Because Canada was one of the combatants in the Korean War, it became part of an

organization known as the United Nations Command — or UNC — following the 1953

armistice that ended three years of war between North and South Korea.

" Recent tensions have caused ADM (Pol) to review Canada's military obligations

on the Korean peninsula if armed hostilities were to erupt, " the memo reads.

" The UNC structure would be used as a means of force-generating and receiving

and tasking any contributions that UNC Sending States may choose to contribute

in the event of a crisis. "

Canada was one 16 countries that took part in fighting the Korean War and all

signed the July 27, 1953, armistice that paused three years of hostilities.

North and South Korea have remained technically at war since then, but the

armistice has been supervised by a UN military commission along the

243-kilometre long Demilitarized Zone between the two countries.

As the briefing note outlines, the main " fighting formation " that would take the

lead in any new conflict is the joint United States-South Korea Combined Forces

Command. But that joint command " includes under its strategic organizational

umbrella the legacy United Nations Command (UNC). "

Canada remains a member of the UNC because it was one of the 15 " Sending States "

that supplied troops to the Korean conflict, the memo says.

, the director of the Institute of Asian Research at University of

British Columbia, said he doesn't believe the current situation will become a

full-blown military crisis. If it does, he said, " it would be difficult to use

the UNC structure in the event of a conflict except as an initial advice. "

That's because the UN's role would be minimized by fact that Russia and China

wield vetoes as permanent members of the all-powerful Security Council, said

.

" I have a hunch that the UN role, whatever its formalities are now through the

military commission and other things, are likely to be superseded almost

immediately by a coalition of the willing that would be led by the United States

and South Korea. "

Federal officials say there have been no " asks " to Canada for military support

in the region.

The American aircraft carrier Washington and the South Korean navy are to

conduct a joint training exercise on Sunday. North Korea said Friday the

exercise was a provocation that could push the region to the " brink of war. "

said it is not inconceivable that a Canadian navy warship could find

itself operating in South Asian waters in the coming months, either as an add on

to any continued U.S. navy presence or part of a stepped up international effort

to interdict North Korean vessels.

Canada announced last month it was adopting a " controlled engagement " policy,

ending all official bilateral contacts between Ottawa and Kim Jong Il's regime

in Pyongyang.

The government said the move was in retaliation for the fact a North Korean

torpedo sank a South Korean warship this past March, killing 46 sailors. Canada

contributed three military experts to the international investigation that

eventually pointed the finger at North Korea.

The briefing note indicates Canada's military footprint in the Korean Peninsula

today is very light. Canada's defence attache to Seoul, a colonel, and his

assistant, a sergeant, represent the country on the UNC. Canada's defence attach

in Tokyo represents Canada at the UNC's " rear " headquarters in Japan. And Canada

also contributes a major to the Korean Army Staff College.

The censored briefing note does not elaborate on what would follow if a " crisis "

erupted and an international military coalition had to be created.

" I don't think there's going to be any place for a Canadian military role.

Canada, of course, has offered its political support, affirmed its alliance with

South Korea, " said Mark Sedra, the head of the global and human security program

at the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ont.

" That would require a big escalation of the situation if you were to see a

multinational force commitment. If we see that happening, we've really seen a

deterioration of the situation. "

Prime Minister Harper " strongly condemned " North Korea's Tuesday

artillery attack, calling it " the latest in a series of aggressive and

provocative actions " by the communist dictatorship.