More than 200 Special Forces warriors, an elite group of ROK army soldiers, five a synchronized tae kwan do demonstration for delegates.

PAMS delegates agreed that traditional battle lines have shifted and dissolved in the past few years. “The home front is now the battlefront, as we have seen with the events of September 11 and the Bali bombings,” said Brig. Justin Kelly, Director General of Future Land Warfare for the Australian Army. “The question, ‘Are we at war or peace?’ is of little relevance anymore. In this new asymmetric, complex war, success requires versatility, agility, and orchestration.”

Maj. Gen. Jabr Singh Lidder of the Indian Army urges delegates to respect the sovereignty of other nations.

The multicultural delegates illustrated how flexibility and cooperation can overcome perceived international barriers. At any given moment – during coffee breaks, a competitive sports day, or a trip to Korea’s Demilitarized Zone – army officers from diverse Pacific nations were often in deep discussion about security challenges.

“The future battle space won’t have the continual and linear operations that we’ve come to expect. It will be multidimensional with interdependence between countries,” said the Canadian Army’s Brig. Gen. Herb Petras. “Even though there was no prior collaboration between presenters here at PAMS, you will find that what we all have to say often overlaps and repeats. This shows that armies today are beginning to address the same issues.”

During the seminar, which took place during the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice, delegates took the opportunity to experience Korean culture and folklore, including demonstrations by the traditional royal guards, folk dances, the Buchae fan dance, and the thundering beat of the Janggo drums.

Standing rock-solid at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Joint Security Area, a ROK Army soldier guards a thin strip of neutral ground between North Korea and the ROK. Delegates from the 27th PAMS seminar toured the DMZ as one of many cultural events.

Delegates and their spouses also visited the Korean War memorial, the Demilitarized Zone’s Joint Security Area, Seoul Tower, a pottery festival, and the Changdeokgung Royal Palace. By the end of the week, seminar participants had nothing but praise for their Korean hosts. “While the wonders of . . . the city of Seoul, and the Korean countryside have been magnificent, the lasting impact of our visit has been the warmth and generosity of the Korean people,” observed Lt. Gen. Campbell at the closing banquet. “We have been treated royally this past week.”

The banquet keynote speaker, Dr. Kyongsoo Lho, professor of international politics at Seoul National University, praised the delegates for coming together to discuss ways to guard against terrorist attacks, which filled newspaper headlines during the conference. “Even as we conclude this wonderful evening’s dinner, the world outside hardly reflects the convivial harmony we share in this room,” said Dr. Lho.

“The past decade has been a rough and tumble ride for many nations around the world. The world is a far more confusing and chaotic place than it used to be, and security cannot be guaranteed by simply investing in bigger military establishments,” he continued. “The nations will have to come together once again as they did in 1945 in forming the UN, but this time with far greater determination to learn from the tragic lessons of the past and to put into place much firmer mechanisms to regulate state and non-state actors, and provide far better and more powerful peacekeeping measures.”

Delegates watch the large-screen monitor as Canadian Army Brig. Gen. Herb Petras answers a question during a plenary session. PAMS brought together senior officers from armies of 33 countries to exchange views and build friendships.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker amplified this message of vigilance. “It is imperative that we establish cooperative processes, methodologies, and perhaps future organizations to efficiently overcome the friction of political geography in the battle against terrorism and other security challenges,” he said. “Transnational threats tend to grow subtly for long periods of time, patiently attempting to weaken national authority.”

“We must not wait for a large-scale tragedy to serve as a catalyst in strengthening our cooperative security environment. There is no automatic threshold degree of activity that will signify the beginning or the end of the battle against transnational adversaries. There will be no more ideal time to recognize our collective challenges and commit to their remedy than now.” He concluded that “Our common security challenges call for collective recognition and action, which must be continually reassessed to ensure continued relevance.”

Reflecting on the week’s labor, Lt. Gen. Campbell told PAMS delegates and other national observers at the closing ceremony that, “The message to each of us is clear; we will continue to encounter major challenges; major threats to our peace and security; and, yes, we will be tested again as a world community. Our responsibility, truly our duty, is to remain vigilant in all we do. The only effective way for us to combat those who wish to bring us harm or cause disruption in the Asia-Pacific theater is to stand together. An attack on one of us should be viewed as an attack on us all. Nothing strikes fear more deeply in the heart of a would-be terrorist than to see a united front of freedom-loving people and nations standing directly and firmly in his path.”

Keeping the beat on an hourglass drum, called a janggo, a Korean dancer performs at the closing banquet. Swirling with color, a fan dancer performs the Buchae dance at the closing banquet.