from http://www.g2mil.com/korea.htm

(emphasis added)

When Pentagon officials talk about the need to maintain a “two-war” capability, they often refer to Korea.  This is
absurd since South Korea can crush North Korea without  American help.  North Korea’s million-man army may look
impressive on paper, but remember that Iraq had a million-man army, which also had modern equipment, combat
experience, and plenty of fuel.

In contrast, North Korean soldiers suffer from malnutrition and rarely train due to a scarcity of fuel and
ammo.  Most North Korean soldiers could not attack because they are needed to defend the entire DMZ and coastal
approaches (they remember the 1950 landing at Inchon) while entire divisions must remain throughout North Korea
to fend off heliborne offensives, food riots, and probable coups.

On the other hand, the entire 700,000 man South Korean active duty army can be devoted to the defense
of Seoul.  The modern South Korean army is backed by over 5,000,000 well-trained reservists who can be
called to duty in hours.  South Korea has twice the population of the North, thirty times its economic
power, and spends three times more on its military each year.  South Korean military equipment is first
class whereas most of the North Korean military equipment is over 30 years old and much is inoperable
due to a lack of maintenance.  If war broke out, South Korea has a massive industrial capacity and $94
billion in foreign currency reserves to sustain a war, while North Korea has no industry and no money.  
As a result, South Korea is roughly five times more powerful than North Korea.

If North Korea insanely attacked, the South Koreans would fight on mountainous and urban terrain which heavily
favors defense, and complete air superiority would shoot up anything the North Koreans put on the road.  Assuming
the North Koreans could start up a thousand of their old tanks and armored vehicles, they cannot advance through
the mountainous DMZ.  The South Koreans have fortified, mined, and physically blocked all avenues through these
mountains, and it would take North Korean infantry and engineers weeks to clear road paths while under fire.

The North Korean military could gain a few thousand meters with human wave assaults into minefields and concrete
fortifications.  However, these attacks would bog down from heavy casualties, and a lack of food and ammo resupply.  
Fighting would be bloody as thousands of South Korean and American troops and civilians suffer from North Korean
artillery and commando attacks.  Nevertheless,  the North Korean army would be unable to breakthrough or move
supplies forward.  Even if North Korea magically broke through, all military analysts scoff at the idea that the North
Koreans could bridge large rivers or move tons of supplies forward while under attack from American airpower.  

It is important to remember that the last Korean war involved Chinese forces supported by North Koreans with the
latest Soviet equipment and supplies.  China and Russia no longer aid North Korea and trade openly with South
Korea.  Thousands of Chinese soldiers guard the Yalu River to prevent crossings by starving North Koreans.  North
Korean soldiers no longer train for war, but spend most hours harvesting crops, while their old aircraft and ancient
tanks sit idle from a lack of fuel and parts.  In 1999, Lt. Gen. Patrick Hughes, head of the Defense Intelligence
Agency, told Congress that discipline in the North Korean army had collapsed, and that refugees report soldiers
stealing food at gun point.  Nighttime satellite pictures reveal few lights in the North because of a lack of electricity.   

Even if North Korea employs a few crude nuclear weapons, using them would be suicidal since it would invite instant
retaliation from the United States.  North Korea lacks the technical know-how to build an Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile, despite the hopes and lies from the National Missile Defense proponents in the USA.  North Korea's industrial
production is almost zero, over two million people have starved in recent years, and millions of homeless nomads
threaten internal revolution.

 The US military ignores this reality and retains old plans for the deployment of 450,000 GIs to help defend South
Korea, even though the superior South Korean military can halt any North Korean offensive without help from a single
American soldier.  American forces are not even required for a counter-offensive.  A North Korean attack would stall
after a few intense days and South Korean forces would soon be in position to overrun North Korea.  American air
and naval power along with logistical and intelligence support would ensure the rapid collapse of the North Korean
army.   

However, South Korean leaders would be distressed about economic losses and the cost of occupying the North.  
They would have little incentive to overrun North Korea quickly if 450,000 free spending American GIs with billions of
dollars in American military aid were on the way.  Rather than quickly overrunning the North, South Korean leaders
may demobilize some units to restart its economy.  Hopefully, Americans will realize that something is wrong when
infantrymen from Kansas are deployed to invade North Korea while infantrymen from Seoul are sent home.  Perhaps
they will recall the logic of  President Lyndon Johnson who said in 1964 that he was “not about to send American
boys nine or ten thousand miles from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing themselves.”   If South Koreans
are unwilling to defend their nation from poverty stricken cousins from the North, why should Americans defend
them?  The USA imports no vital resources from Korea; the consumer items imported from South Korea are readily
available elsewhere.

Chinese participation is extremely unlikely since China is busy with its free enterprise transformation while ensuring
domestic tranquility.  In fact, stopping thousands of starving North Korean refugees from crossing their border has
become a major problem, although the Chinese refuse to spend any of their billions of dollars in US trade surpluses
to purchase food for their old ally.  Korea has no natural resources which interest China, and Chinese support would
cause a major war with powerful South Korea, the United States, and probably Japan and Taiwan.  On the other
hand, a prosperous Korea provides a buffer against China’s traditional enemy - Japan.

The US Army must adapt to the end of the Cold War in Asia and stop wasting millions of dollars on new military
construction projects in Korea.  Second, the North Koreans have stated that the 37,000 American troops must go
before peace talks can progress.  (Imagine how South  Korea would feel if 37,000 Russian troops were based  in
North Korea.)  Many South Koreans know that American troops are no longer needed and anti-American base
protests are common.  

The United States must support peace efforts by announcing that 17,000 soldiers will withdraw from South Korea
within two years.  The US Army could move the headquarters for the 2nd Infantry Division and one combat
brigade to Washington State to join two combat brigades at Fort Lewis to form a solid combat-ready
division near Pacific ports.  This would allow the US Army to close several camps in Korea, which would
eliminate several thousand military and civilian base support billets, and save millions of dollars each
year from base operations and overseas shipments.  Pulling 17,000 soldiers from Korea will also increase
morale and readiness since most Korea positions are filled with one-year unaccompanied tours.

This would leave one combat brigade in Korea, which could become part of the 25th Infantry Division in
Hawaii.  This brigade and two US Air Force wings could remain as  a symbolic presence of 20,000 American troops
until a peace agreement is formalized.  The billions of dollars saved could be used to improve Army readiness and
the thousands of support personnel freed could fill gaps in other units.  Army Generals may dispute savings by
pointing to the $333 million a year in “burden sharing” by the South Korean government.  However, not one penny of
this money is paid to the US military, but goes to Koreans for land rent and some base services.  

If the US military pulled 17,000 soldiers out of Korea, there is no reason why this contribution must shrink.  South
Korea spends less of it’s GDP on its military each year than the United States.  The US Army has complained about
maintaining Patriot missile batteries and Apache attack helicopters in South Korea; a burden it imposed on itself in
1994.  Meanwhile, South Korea has refused to purchase these advanced weapons with the billions of dollars in
annual trade surpluses with the United States.  If South Korea is truly concerned about the North Korean threat, it
has the resources to expand its military and buy the latest military equipment from the United States.       

The Center for Defense Information estimates that US military business injects almost $5 billion a year into the South
Korean economy.  Shifting some of this activity to Fort Lewis would spur economic activity in Washington State.  
Closing unneeded overseas bases is far cheaper than domestic bases and the economic impact is actually positive
as spending shifts to American communities.  However, this will be opposed in Washington DC as lobbyists
representing Korea and certain corporations politic to keep “their” bases open, and by Army Generals seeking to
retain an outdated mission.    

The chance of a Korean war is extremely unlikely.  North Korean leaders realize they have no hope of success
without major backing from China or Russia.  The previous South Korean President, Kim Dae Jung,  encouraged
peace and visited North Korea.  The two countries are reconnecting rail lines and sent a combined team to the
Olympics.  Even the United States is providing $500 million dollars a year in food to the starving North Koreans.  The
new South Korean President, Roh-Moo-hyun was elected on a peace platform and suggested US troops may be
gone within ten years.

It may take many years for the two Koreas to unite, meanwhile the USA can contribute to peace and save billions of
dollars by starting a withdrawal of forces.  The US Army can increase its ability to deploy expeditionary forces in Asia
by cutting infrastructure in Korea and forming a solid division at Fort Lewis.  The USA already has a huge logistical
infrastructure in Japan, Hawaii and Guam, it doesn't need bases in Korea.  American forces should continue to train
with South Korea, but the $5 billion a year military base subsidy to South Korea must end.  Unfortunately, lying about
the Korean situation has become a cornerstone of the Pentagon's effort to boost military spending beyond Cold War
levels.  

from http://www.g2mil.com/korea.htm