70 years after first setting up a headquarters for the US military in the South Korean capital now the US is moving its base away from Seoul
SEOUL, South Korea — 70 years after first setting up a headquarters for the U. S. military in the South Korean capital, now the U. S. is moving its base away from a prime location in Seoul.
At the end of World War II, the U. S. military arrived in Seoul to disarm Japan following its defeat.
In 1949, most U. S. troops were withdrawn but they returned the next year to fight alongside South Korea in the three-year Korean War.
Then, in 1957, as America’s alliance with South Korea deepened, the U. S. military formally launched its command in Seoul’s Yongsan.
The central Yongsan neighborhood, the Yongsan Garrison has been a symbol of the U. S.-South Korea alliance for many decades but now, the command, is moving to Camp Humphreys, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Seoul.
Formally ending seven decades of military presence in Seoul on Friday, officials from U. S. and South Korea attended a ceremony to mark the opening of the new headquarters farther from North Korean artillery range.
Even though the move was planned earlier, the U. S. military command’s move comes at a time when ties between the two Koreas and the relationship between Washington and Pyongyang have shown signs of improvement.
According to U. S. officials, most of its troops have already been transferred to the new location and the move will be completed by the end of this year.
Moving to its new 3,510-acre command which is based in the western port city of Pyeongtaek and close to a U. S. air field, American officials have said that the new command cost $11 billion, even though reports have revealed that South Korea paid about 90 percent of the cost.
The new command in Pyeongtaek is the largest overseas U. S. base.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday, Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of U. S. Forces Korea, said, «This headquarters’ building, within the headquarters’ complex that surrounds it, represents the significant investment in the long-term presence of U. S. forces in Korea.”
Gen. Brooks further said, «U. S. Forces Korea will remain the living proof of the American commitment to the alliance.»
Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement that the headquarters is the cornerstone of the U. S.-South Korea alliance.
«In opening a new era of the U. S. forces headquarters in Pyeongtaek, I hope that the U. S.-South Korea alliance will develop beyond a ‘military alliance’ and a ‘comprehensive alliance’ and become a ‘great alliance,'» Moon said in the statement.
According to U. S. officials, the relocation is part of a broad U. S. plan to realign its 28,500 troops and their bases in South Korea into two major hubs.
While U. S. officials have attributed the move from the highly the populated areas to improve efficiency and military readiness, the prime real estate location for the base in Seoul was highly criticized for.
Some experts are also concerned since the move also means that U. S. forces would now be farther away from North Korean artillery guns targeting the Seoul metropolitan area.
Yet, officials pointed out that Camp Humphreys is still within reach of newer weapons.
Officials in South Korea have noted that Camp Humphreys resembles a small American city and has everything from a waterpark to massive shopping centers and even a movie theatre and schools.
Foods chains, including Taco Bell, Popeye’s and Starbucks line the streets.
