Outstanding editorial from the OhMy News Website.

In February 1950, the U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson spoke before the Washington National Press Club. He described the defensive perimeter of the Pacific -- where the U.S. was compelled to defend Japan and the Philippines -- but said Korea was an area of "lesser interest."

Historian Chuck Downs, in his book "Over the Line," writes that a classified document revealed that the Joint Chiefs of Staff showed "little interest" in setting up bases on the peninsula.

North Korean leader Kim Il-sung used this U.S. policy to exploit the vulnerability of the South. Downs writes of spring 1950: "North Korea initiated deceptive peace initiatives, including calls for peaceful unification, to distract the South's attention for the North's preparation for war."

Then on June 25, 1950, the North Korean army attacked the South Korean army, draining their strength from 98,000 to 22,000.

Shortly afterwards, the South Korean army retreated to the southeastern corner of their nation and all seemed lost. President Harry S. Truman raised a U.N. military force led by General Douglas MacArthur to assist them. The North Korean army was pushed back behind their borders by Oct. 1.

North Korea seemed destined for defeat with a unified Korea governed by a democracy. But China came to their rescue and entered the conflict. This brought the Korean War to a stalemate where an armistice, not a peace treaty, was signed in July 1953.

Protestors constantly demonstrated in front of their headquarters at Yongsan garrison of Seoul. To reduce tensions they decided to move out of the capital into a more isolated region. Relocating from the DMZ was an indication they had no plans to start a war.

And yet a cavalcade of rabid anti-Americans, civic groups and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions rushed to occupy Daechu-ri, an elementary school in the Pyeongtaek area.

They issued a manifesto:

"Since the relocation of the USFK aims to set up a forwards base favorable to launch a preemptive strike on North Korea and a blockade on China, the expansion of the Pyeongtaek base must be prevented."

Nonetheless, if a general proposed to launch an invasion by reducing military strength and pulling soldiers away from enemy borders then he should resign for incompetence.

But 1,100 Pyeongtaek protestors stubbornly remained in their headquarters at the elementary school, so it took over 11,000 riot police to evict them on May 4. Half of them were arrested.

Many South Koreans presume their anti-Americanism won't lead to harmful consequences. They think the U.S. army will continue to protect them whether or not they complain. They don't fear the possibility of an invasion by the North. They expect the U.S. government to consistently bow to their wishes.

But they do so at their own peril. Maybe one day the U.S. army will decide enough is enough and depart. If disaster befalls them then the fault lies with these detractors, not with anybody else.

Nowadays, North Koreans must endure the hardships of a brutal dictatorship while South Koreans enjoy the benefits of a thriving economy and free society. Nevertheless, many young South Koreans fail to appreciate the assistance they've received from the U.S. Instead, many protestors believe America -- not North Korea -- is their greatest nemesis.

In summer 2005, demonstrators gathered at MacArthur Freedom Park in Incheon, South Korea to tear down the statue of the general. They were stopped by Korean War veterans. But these were not rare incidents of anti-Americanism.

It stands to reason that the U.S. government should strongly consider withdrawing their troops from South Korea. Their presence has caused them much aggravation. The South Korean government's words and actions caused many Americans to wonder if the two nations can remain as allies.

A South Korean Defense White Paper issued in 2005 declared that North Korea is no longer a "main enemy." Later the South Korean Defense Ministry announced plans to reduce troop levels from 680,000 to 500,000.

Apparently, the presence of the U.S. Army no longer serves a purpose. Technically speaking, South Korea no longer faces an imminent threat. Since the South Korean military will reduce their size then the U.S. military must leave.

Many South Koreans misunderstand the U.S. In 2004, the U.S. and South Korea reached an agreement to reduce their troops from 37,500 to 25,000 while moving out of Seoul and away from the borders of the DMZ. Many American soldiers would be based in Pyeongtaek, further south.

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