Rumsfeld despite all his faults had Korea figured out and was adamant about moving 2ID and Yongsan Garrison south of Seoul and handing over war time operational control back to Korea. Korean politicians have been demagoguing this issue for years demanding this for domestic political reasons and Rumsfeld called their bluff and deployed the 2BCT from 2ID to Iraq in 2004. This was a huge shock in Korea because it showed Rumsfeld was serious about transforming the force in Korea and if Korea didn’t allow the transformation Yankee was going home.

There were probably few nations happier then Korea when Rumsfeld resigned. Almost immediately they backed out on the agreed upon relocation and war time control handover timelines and cut USFK funding. The new Korean president is just continuing this delay, delay, delay policy because no one in Washington is pushing back against the Koreans like Rumsfeld did. Thus it looks like the USFK gravy train will continue to roll on for Korea.