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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.S. Troops Between Koreas Calm, Prepared
Aired January 02, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the issue of North Korea. China has agreed to try to get Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile, U.S. forces stationed near the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas say they're calm, but prepared.
Our Rebecca MacKinnon has details now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm here at Camp Greaves, home of the most forward-deployed battalion of the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division, part of the 37,000 U.S. troops stationed here in South Korea.
We're very close to North Korea at this point. Just over my shoulder over that hill about 3 kilometers, under two miles away is the North Korean side of the demilitarized zone. Beyond the demilitarized zone, we have about 70 percent of North Korea's one- million-plus-strong army ready to spring into action in the case of any kind of conflict.
Now, despite the heightened diplomatic and rhetorical tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, here at Camp Greaves is very much business-as-usual. Now, because it's been the New Year's holiday, a lot of the men are taking the day off. They're not training today, going into Seoul for a little rest and recreation. However, because it is deployed so close to the border, the troops here are ready to spring into conflict within about two hours' notice.
Now, the primary mission of the 1st Division of the 506 Infantry here at Camp Greaves is to help to evacuate and secure any civilian diplomatic personnel who would be negotiating with the North Korean side right on the joint security area of the DMZ. They would help those people get out safely in the event that diplomacy were to fail, the assumption being that diplomacy would be deployed, would be used until the very last minute.
Now, despite the fact that North Korean statements in the past day or two have been claiming that the United States is preparing to target North Korea for an attack, there is no indication here at Camp Greaves or in the surrounding area that there is any kind of buildup from the U.S. or South Korean side.
Rebecca MacKinnon, CNN, Camp Greaves, South Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE) TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired January 2, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the issue of North Korea. China has agreed to try to get Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear weapons program. Meanwhile, U.S. forces stationed near the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas say they're calm, but prepared.
Our Rebecca MacKinnon has details now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm here at Camp Greaves, home of the most forward-deployed battalion of the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division, part of the 37,000 U.S. troops stationed here in South Korea.
We're very close to North Korea at this point. Just over my shoulder over that hill about 3 kilometers, under two miles away is the North Korean side of the demilitarized zone. Beyond the demilitarized zone, we have about 70 percent of North Korea's one- million-plus-strong army ready to spring into action in the case of any kind of conflict.
Now, despite the heightened diplomatic and rhetorical tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, here at Camp Greaves is very much business-as-usual. Now, because it's been the New Year's holiday, a lot of the men are taking the day off. They're not training today, going into Seoul for a little rest and recreation. However, because it is deployed so close to the border, the troops here are ready to spring into conflict within about two hours' notice.
Now, the primary mission of the 1st Division of the 506 Infantry here at Camp Greaves is to help to evacuate and secure any civilian diplomatic personnel who would be negotiating with the North Korean side right on the joint security area of the DMZ. They would help those people get out safely in the event that diplomacy were to fail, the assumption being that diplomacy would be deployed, would be used until the very last minute.
Now, despite the fact that North Korean statements in the past day or two have been claiming that the United States is preparing to target North Korea for an attack, there is no indication here at Camp Greaves or in the surrounding area that there is any kind of buildup from the U.S. or South Korean side.
Rebecca MacKinnon, CNN, Camp Greaves, South Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE) TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
