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| Korea |
| USFK Bases to Be Relocated in Four Years |
| 2003-03-01 |
| The Ministry of National Defense announced Thursday that Defense Policy Director Cha Yeong-gu and United States Undersecretary of Defense for East Asia Richard Lawless had discussed the agenda and dates for the joint policy consultation on the future Korea-America alliance to be held in April. Changes in the Korea-America alliance, the relocation and reduction of United States Forces Korea, and alterations in the line of command were addressed at the meeting. Two bases in urban areas: Uijeongbu and Dongducheon will be moved south of the Han River initially, and the Yongsan Base in Seoul will be moved within four years, instead of the eight years, which had been set previously. Cheeze. Moving Yongsan will be a project and a half... The US side met with Deputy Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-shik in the morning, and is known to have exchanged opinions on the USFK relocation and Korean American cooperation in case of a war in Iraq. I'd say Guam would be a nice place to relocate to... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #3 Personally, I would have preferred to be south of the Han than Dongducheon [Camp Casey, HQ 2ID, 1 combat brigade, and the DISCOM]. The camp was within easy SCUD and FROG range. A position south of the Han, makes it more of a burden for the Great Leader to take it all out in an evening. Uijeongbu, which is further south enroute to Seoul, had the aviation and artillery brigades as well as HQ Combined Field Army [the corps HQ for 2ID]. No more Thunder Runs over the railroad tracks. The real hardship will be on all the bar owners and the working girls. They'll be looking for new digs at the new location. Big drop in the local economies of Uijeongbu and Dongducheon. See how many pick up stakes and accompany the camp followers. Mommasans were at our training areas and set up as our lead vehicles would pull into the deployment sites. So I expect the business to be shifted well before the last light goes out in Casey. In '88, the tune was that since the RoK government asked us to move, they would pay for the new digs. Wonder if its still the same here? |
| Posted by: Don 2003-03-01 20:18:45 |
| #2 Pyongyang or Wonsan may be more of a possibility, near the Yalu. China would absolutly hate it, but that's the idea. |
| Posted by: Dev 2003-03-01 10:54:23 |
| #1 I agree with ditching the ungratful wretches. However, we need to make sure that we are not playing into China's hand. Haesook Chae points out that withdrawing from the Korean peninsula may further China's long term goals of retaking Taiwan and becoming the undisputed regional power. We have, of course many other cards to play including encouraging the rearming of Japan, destabilization of China, selling better weapons to Taiwan, stronger ties with India, etc. I am sure that Powell, Armitage, et al are thinking this through. I'd move the troops to Taiwan just to tick them off, but there's a good reason why I am not making Korea policy. |
| Posted by: JAB 2003-03-01 10:36:21 |