Why do americans occupy Korea?

Answer 1

to prevent the civil war that would break out if we left... the north would definitely attack south if we were not there...

Answer 2

We don't occupy Korea. US troops are stationed on the Demilitarized Zone as part of the cease fire agreement signed by North and South Korea, Red China, the United States and the UN.
If North Korea signs a peace treaty respecting the sovereignty of South Korea the US can go home. But they refuse to do so.

Answer 3

US Army troops do NOT "Occupy" the Republic of Korea... we're stationed there as a result of Treaty agreements following the Korean War. We are there at the INVITATION of the ROK.

Put aside the fact that North Korea STILL makes small invasions or incursions into South Korea, maintains one of the worlds LARGEST militarys (despite it's poor economy and starving population, is ruled by a Communist Dictator seeking Nuclear arms and ICBMs, and is STILL at war with South Korea.

Answer 4

We currently have 25,000 troops in Korea. Under the best of circumstances, this is not nearly enough troops to 'occupy' anything. Regardless, the troops are not there as occupiers. The Korean war never ended. The fighting stopped because of a cease-fire in 1953 and never resumed. Technically, either side could resume fighting today with very little recourse. They would merely be breaking a cease-fire. The U.S. troops are there as proof of America's support of South Korea and as a deterrent to the North Koreans. If they know we will come crashing down on them if they cross the DMZ, it is highly unlikely they will do so.

Answer 5

Technically the Korean War never ended, no peace treaty has ever been signed, just a cease fire for a halt of hostilities, so we never left. Right now it's because of North Korea and at the request of both the UN and South Korea that we are still there. Other UN forces are still there also, the British, Canadians and others still have some troops there.

Answer 6

Well, at this point, they say it is to stop the north from invading the south. While probably true, it isn't the main reason.

The main reason was to have a strategic location during the Cold War. Basically, when the USSR was in power, we had bases all throughout Europe, and also in Japan, the Phillipines, and Korea. We, in essence, had the country surrounded.

Today, it is the North Korea answer, but originally, it was a strategic location allowing quck access to the Soviet Union if needed.

Answer 7

What in the hell are you talking about?

The American Forces in Korea are not an Army of Occupation -- they are a cooperative Army stationed there AT THE REQUEST OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA to help prevent an invasion by the North Koreans, who are still officially at war.

Go study some real facts about this before you start spouting off such utter rubbish.

Answer 8

Because South Korea needs America's help to protect itself from North Korea !!!

Answer 9

its for the same reason we occupy Okinawa and Japan, if anything happens in N Korea, we are close enough to make it there quick.

Answer 10

If anything, the ROK goverment was disappointed when Rumsfield reduced the number of US troops there. The ROK is a healthy democracy now, so they can decide for themselves what they want their relationship with the US to be.

Answer 11

To prevent hundreds of thousands of people from being slaughtered.
How could you not know?