Additional Return of USFK Bases in South Korea... Remaining Tasks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The government has received the return of a 51,000㎡ area of the Yongsan Base from the United States Forces Korea. Including the area of the Yongsan Base returned this time, a total of 634,000㎡ out of the entire 2.03 million㎡ of the Yongsan Base has been returned, which corresponds to about 30% of the total area.

On the 3rd, it was reported that most of the South Post sites, considered key areas related to the relocation of the presidential office, were included in the Yongsan Base return targets received in May. The southern area roads and nearby gates were included.

Gate 14 near Sinyongsan Station and Gate 13 near Ichon Station were also included. Gate 13 is called the "Main Gate" (main entrance) and is used as the route for President Yoon Seok-yeol's commuting.

With the early return of the Yongsan Base, a space where citizens can visually see the presidential office has also been secured. Ordinary citizens can freely enter and exit the 900m approach area to the new office building through Gate 13 of the US military base near Ichon Station.

Separately from this land return, South Korea and the US are expected to accelerate discussions on the relocation of the "residual sites" in the eastern area in the future. To the east of the new office building where the presidential office is located, there remain US military residual sites excluded from the Yongsan Base return targets, such as the access control area, Dragon Hill Hotel, and Support Center.

Negotiations on the burden of environmental pollution cleanup costs must also be conducted. As with previous US military base returns, it is expected that the South Korean government will initially bear the environmental cleanup costs and later discuss cost-sharing issues with the US side.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop has stated that some parts of the Yongsan Base will be returned early regardless of cleanup costs.

On the 17th of last month, at the National Assembly Defense Committee plenary session, in response to a question from Kim Byung-gi of the Democratic Party asking whether the South Korean government would bear the cleanup costs in advance for the sites under return negotiations, Minister Lee said, "Cleanup issues are negotiated and cleanup work is carried out after the return."