http://www.donga.com/en/article/all...push-for-early-return-of-U-S-bases-surprising
Former USFK commander: Seoul’s push for early return of U.S. bases ‘surprising’
Posted September. 05, 2019 07:30
Updated September. 05, 2019 07:30
한국어
After South Korea’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said it would redouble efforts for the early return of 26 U.S. Forces Korea’s (USFK) bases, former USFK Commander Vincent Brooks said Monday that the plan is “surprising,” as no concrete decision has been made regarding the issue. He also said that it is up to Seoul to make a decision on the proposed relocation of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC).
According to Voice of America on Wednesday, Brooks said that the defense ministers of Seoul and Washington agreed in June to relocate the CFC to the USFK base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, creating a new timetable but that the timing of the relocation could be postponed due to the need to fine-tune details including the logistics and the redeployment of the CFC headquarters’ facilities in the Pyeongtaek base.
Brooks, who served as the top commander of the USFK between April 2016 and November 2018, noted that he accelerated the relocation of USFK bases to Pyeongtaek during his term in office, completing the moving of the USFK bases, the United Nations Command and the U.S. Army’s Second Infantry Division’s command post. It was agreed that the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul will also be relocated to Pyeongtaek by the end of this year, except for some facilities to remain in Yongsan. The retired U.S. general stressed that it is up to the South Korean government to decide where to relocate the CFC and how it will be maintained in a new location.
Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday that Seoul would seek an early return of U.S. military bases across the country. The militaries of the two allies will reportedly make a final decision on the CFC relocation at a bilateral Security Consultative Meeting to be held in Seoul in late October.
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http://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20190903000536
US also positive on prompt return of military bases in S. Korea: Seoul ministry
By Yonhap
Published : Sep 3, 2019 - 11:42
Updated : Sep 3, 2019 - 11:42
South Korea's push for a prompt return of American military bases in the country has long been discussed between the allies and the US is also positive on the move, the defense ministry said Tuesday, guarding against any political interpretation of the issue.
Last week, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae vowed to push for a prompt return of 26 US Forces Korea (USFK) bases across the country, sparking speculation that it may signal a possible rift in the alliance following Seoul's decision to terminate a military information-sharing pact with Japan.
"The issue has long been discussed between the two sides in accordance with the broader scheme to move US military bases to Pyeongtaek," defense ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular briefing, referring to the city located some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, where Camp Humphreys, a sprawling US military complex, is located.
(Yonhap)
Noting that "the US side has also shown a positive stance" regarding the matter, Choi said it has expressed hope for "the smooth transition to Pyeongtaek so as to swiftly set conditions for creating a park there as the Seoul government is planning."
Choi also said that it is "not appropriate to link the matter to recent diplomatic and security issues involving Japan and the US and to translate the government's recent announcement into something that intends to put pressure on the US."
Last month, South Korea announced its decision to end the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) after Japan enacted export curbs on South Korea in apparent retaliation against the top court's ruling on wartime forced labor. Washington has since publicly expressed disappointment with the decision and concern over the possible loosening of trilateral security cooperation.
Among 80 bases, 54 have been returned so far, though the process in some regions has been going slowly due partly to the handling of polluted soil.
The USFK will reportedly vacate its Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul within this year, and the allies are pushing to complete the relocation of their Combined Forces Command (CFC) headquarters out of Seoul by 2021. (Yonhap)
http://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20190904000327
US says it respects S. Korea's decision to expedite return of bases
By Yonhap
Published : Sep 4, 2019 - 11:03
Updated : Sep 4, 2019 - 11:03
The United States respects South Korea's decision to seek an early return of more than two dozen American military bases in the country and will work with its ally to get the bases returned "as expeditiously as possible," US Forces Korea said Tuesday.
South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae announced the decision last week, saying the move is in line with the relocation of all US bases to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul.
(Yonhap)
"We are aware of the ROK government's decision to expedite the return process of US installations announced on Friday (August 30)," the USFK said in a statement sent to Yonhap News Agency, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
"We respect their decision and remain committed to cooperating with the ROK government to enable the return of US installations to the ROK public and local communities as expeditiously as possible," it added.
The move affects 26 bases, including the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul.
News of the decision prompted speculation of a widening rift in the South Korea-US alliance after Washington publicly rebuked Seoul for its refusal to renew a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.
South Korea's defense ministry denied any connection, saying the return was long discussed between the allies and that Washington has also shown a "positive stance" toward the issue.
Reclaiming the bases has been a slow process in some regions due in part to the handling of polluted soil. Cheong Wa Dae noted that some residents close to the bases have suffered economic difficulties as a result of the delay.
The US military presence dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 American troops are currently stationed in the South to deter North Korean aggression. (Yonhap)
Former USFK commander: Seoul’s push for early return of U.S. bases ‘surprising’
Posted September. 05, 2019 07:30
Updated September. 05, 2019 07:30
한국어
After South Korea’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said it would redouble efforts for the early return of 26 U.S. Forces Korea’s (USFK) bases, former USFK Commander Vincent Brooks said Monday that the plan is “surprising,” as no concrete decision has been made regarding the issue. He also said that it is up to Seoul to make a decision on the proposed relocation of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC).
According to Voice of America on Wednesday, Brooks said that the defense ministers of Seoul and Washington agreed in June to relocate the CFC to the USFK base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, creating a new timetable but that the timing of the relocation could be postponed due to the need to fine-tune details including the logistics and the redeployment of the CFC headquarters’ facilities in the Pyeongtaek base.
Brooks, who served as the top commander of the USFK between April 2016 and November 2018, noted that he accelerated the relocation of USFK bases to Pyeongtaek during his term in office, completing the moving of the USFK bases, the United Nations Command and the U.S. Army’s Second Infantry Division’s command post. It was agreed that the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul will also be relocated to Pyeongtaek by the end of this year, except for some facilities to remain in Yongsan. The retired U.S. general stressed that it is up to the South Korean government to decide where to relocate the CFC and how it will be maintained in a new location.
Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday that Seoul would seek an early return of U.S. military bases across the country. The militaries of the two allies will reportedly make a final decision on the CFC relocation at a bilateral Security Consultative Meeting to be held in Seoul in late October.
[email protected]
http://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20190903000536
US also positive on prompt return of military bases in S. Korea: Seoul ministry
By Yonhap
Published : Sep 3, 2019 - 11:42
Updated : Sep 3, 2019 - 11:42
South Korea's push for a prompt return of American military bases in the country has long been discussed between the allies and the US is also positive on the move, the defense ministry said Tuesday, guarding against any political interpretation of the issue.
Last week, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae vowed to push for a prompt return of 26 US Forces Korea (USFK) bases across the country, sparking speculation that it may signal a possible rift in the alliance following Seoul's decision to terminate a military information-sharing pact with Japan.
"The issue has long been discussed between the two sides in accordance with the broader scheme to move US military bases to Pyeongtaek," defense ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular briefing, referring to the city located some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, where Camp Humphreys, a sprawling US military complex, is located.
(Yonhap)
Noting that "the US side has also shown a positive stance" regarding the matter, Choi said it has expressed hope for "the smooth transition to Pyeongtaek so as to swiftly set conditions for creating a park there as the Seoul government is planning."
Choi also said that it is "not appropriate to link the matter to recent diplomatic and security issues involving Japan and the US and to translate the government's recent announcement into something that intends to put pressure on the US."
Last month, South Korea announced its decision to end the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) after Japan enacted export curbs on South Korea in apparent retaliation against the top court's ruling on wartime forced labor. Washington has since publicly expressed disappointment with the decision and concern over the possible loosening of trilateral security cooperation.
Among 80 bases, 54 have been returned so far, though the process in some regions has been going slowly due partly to the handling of polluted soil.
The USFK will reportedly vacate its Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul within this year, and the allies are pushing to complete the relocation of their Combined Forces Command (CFC) headquarters out of Seoul by 2021. (Yonhap)
http://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20190904000327
US says it respects S. Korea's decision to expedite return of bases
By Yonhap
Published : Sep 4, 2019 - 11:03
Updated : Sep 4, 2019 - 11:03
The United States respects South Korea's decision to seek an early return of more than two dozen American military bases in the country and will work with its ally to get the bases returned "as expeditiously as possible," US Forces Korea said Tuesday.
South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae announced the decision last week, saying the move is in line with the relocation of all US bases to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul.
(Yonhap)
"We are aware of the ROK government's decision to expedite the return process of US installations announced on Friday (August 30)," the USFK said in a statement sent to Yonhap News Agency, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
"We respect their decision and remain committed to cooperating with the ROK government to enable the return of US installations to the ROK public and local communities as expeditiously as possible," it added.
The move affects 26 bases, including the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul.
News of the decision prompted speculation of a widening rift in the South Korea-US alliance after Washington publicly rebuked Seoul for its refusal to renew a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.
South Korea's defense ministry denied any connection, saying the return was long discussed between the allies and that Washington has also shown a "positive stance" toward the issue.
Reclaiming the bases has been a slow process in some regions due in part to the handling of polluted soil. Cheong Wa Dae noted that some residents close to the bases have suffered economic difficulties as a result of the delay.
The US military presence dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 American troops are currently stationed in the South to deter North Korean aggression. (Yonhap)
