US Forces Korea leaves Yongsan for new headquarters

Posted on : 2018-06-22 16:00 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
After 61 years at Yongsan Garrison, USFK set to move to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek
US Forces Korea (USFK)
US Forces Korea (USFK)

The headquarters of US Forces Korea (USFK) is leaving Yongsan, 61 years after it arrived.

On June 29, USFK will be holding an opening ceremony at its newly built headquarters in Camp Humphreys – located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province – a USFK spokesperson said on June 21. The new headquarters consists of a four-story main building and a two-story auxiliary building, measuring 240,000㎡ in area. Since the headquarters of the US 8th Army already departed Yongsan and relocated to Pyeongtaek in July 2017, the transfer of the USFK Command raises the curtain on the era of American troops in Pyeongtaek. The move comes more than 10 years after the base held its groundbreaking in Nov. 2007, during the presidency of Roh Moo-hyun.

The history of the US military base at Yongsan began when the US Far East Command transferred troops from the 7th Division of the XXIV Corps, which was stationed on Okinawa, to the Korean Peninsula. Except for a few military advisors, the US forces withdrew from South Korea in July 1949 only to return a year later after the Korean War began on June 25, 1950. Following the war, the USFK Command was officially established at Yongsan Garrison in 1957. USFK Command is leaving Yongsan 61 years after its official establishment and 73 years after the US 7th Division’s first tour there.

 73 years after it was first deployed to disarm the occupying Japanese military
73 years after it was first deployed to disarm the occupying Japanese military

Along with the USFK Command, the ROK-US Combined Forces Command (CFC) is also scheduled to bid farewell to Yongsan Garrison by the end of the year. This is the culmination of an agreement reached by South Korea and the US in Jan. 2004, during the Roh administration, to relocate ROK-US CFC to the Pyeongtaek base. Though this agreement was reversed in Oct. 2014, during the presidency of Park Geun-hye, with the decision to keep ROK-US CFC in Yongsan, the drive to relocate it resumed when Moon Jae-in became president.

There was sharp criticism from the city of Seoul and civic groups that leaving the 240,000㎡ ROK-US CFC on the site of the Yongsan Garrison would cause the park that will be built there after the land is returned to South Korea to end up looking malformed. South Korea and the US bowed to the pressure by agreeing at the end of last year to move ROK-US CFC to a building on the precincts of South Korea’s Ministry of Defense, located nearby. The relocation of the ROK-US CFC to the Defense Ministry grounds is reportedly supposed to be completed within the year.

On the other hand, little progress has reportedly been made in deliberations between South Korea and the US about relocating the Dragon Hill Lodge, which is located on the grounds of the base. The original agreement was for the 84,000㎡ resort to remain at Yongsan regardless of the base’s relocation. But recently, objections have been raised about leaving a US military facility that is not open to South Koreans at the center of the planned park.

“There have not been any official discussions, and we are currently exchanging opinions,” said Defense Ministry spokesperson Choi Hyeon-su when asked about this in April.

 is finally leaving Yongsan Garrison. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on June 21 that USFK will be holding an opening ceremony at its newly built headquarters in Camp Humphreys
is finally leaving Yongsan Garrison. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on June 21 that USFK will be holding an opening ceremony at its newly built headquarters in Camp Humphreys

Even after the USFK Command and ROK-US CFC depart this year, a few small American units will remain on Yongsan until 2020. Nine units at Yongsan – including the 121st Combat Support Hospital and the USFK special liaison officers – are scheduled to move to the Pyeongtaek base next year, and the final four units will depart for Pyeongtaek in 2020.

“So far, the project of relocating the American units on the Yongsan Garrison to the base in Pyeongtaek is about 80 percent complete. We’re planning to complete the relocation of all American units, troops and equipment from Yongsan Garrison by 2020,” said a senior official at the Defense Ministry.

 

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

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