Category: USFK

Here is the latest on the upcoming US-ROK military exercise:

South Korea has tentatively decided to conduct the upcoming military exercise with the United States as planned, albeit in a scaled-back manner due to the pandemic, sources said Sunday, despite North Korea’s warning the maneuvers will cast a pall over inter-Korean relations.

Whether and how to conduct the summertime exercise has drawn keen attention, particularly after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned the drills will dampen the conciliatory mood created after Pyongyang restored long-severed hotlines with the South.

“We are working to stage the exercise as planned, which is a regular one and necessary for a combined readiness posture. We’ve maintained close consultations with the U.S. over the issue,” a government source said.

The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) is expected to be held from Aug. 16-26, which is likely to come after a four-day crisis management staff training, set to kick off on Aug. 10, another source said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This will further help the ROK reach their vaccination goals:

South Koreans working for the U.S. military have widely accepted coronavirus vaccines offered by the American government, months before they were able to sign up for shots in their country.

South Korea was heralded for its initial handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but 18 months later has been unable to quickly make vaccines widely available. The government announced last week its intent to begin scheduling citizens ages 18 to 49 for inoculations later in August.

Over 20 million people, or 39% of the country’s population, have received the first dose of a vaccine, as of Tuesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. About 14% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

Is this a sign that the Moon administration is wavering on conducting the upcoming combined exercise with the U.S.?:

South Korea said Monday it’ll keep pushing to improve ties and resume talks with rival North Korea, despite the North’s threat to rekindle animosities if Seoul holds its summertime military drills with the United States.

On Sunday night, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned the drills would seriously undermine efforts to restore mutual trust between the Koreas and becloud prospects for better ties if the training is launched as scheduled this month. Her statement raised a question about the sincerity of North Korea’s recent decision to reopen long-stalled communication channels with South Korea. 

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday the exact timing, size and other details of the drills haven’t been fixed and that they were the issues that must be determined by South Korean and U.S. authorities. Spokesman Boo Seung-Chan repeated his previous statement that Seoul and Washington are examining factors like the pandemic’s current status, diplomat efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and South Korea-U.S. military readiness.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

Here is the latest on the COVID guidelines for US troops in Korea:

USFK similarly extended its own “enhanced” COVID-19 mitigation measures until Aug. 27. Unit-level commanders are generally able to implement their own rules in addition to USFK policies, and all service members are instructed to follow local guidelines.

U.S. troops are allowed to leave their bases, but regardless of their vaccination status are banned from visiting bars and clubs and are prohibited from visiting the greater Seoul-area except for mission-essential duties.

Seoul continues to report a higher number of infections than any other area in the country. The capital city recorded 515 new cases Thursday, down from its record high of 638 daily cases earlier this month.

Over 80% of USFK troops and civilian employees have been inoculated and less than 1% of its active-duty service members tested positive for COVID-19. The command has maintained that it “remains at a high level of readiness,” despite the recent surge of infections in the surrounding communities.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but does anyone really think the protocols will end August 27th?

Here is the latest on the COVID situation for USFK:

Thirty-one U.S. service members from a single Army base in South Korea tested positive for the coronavirus last week as the country reached a new record for daily infections.

The 31 new patients, who tested positive between July 5 and 11, are from Camp Casey, a military outpost near the Demilitarized Zone on the border with North Korea.

They are among 58 people from U.S. Forces Korea who tested positive last week, marking the most infections reported by the command during the pandemic. The previous record from early this year was 42 cases recorded over a 12-day span.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

There may be a new general in charge of USFK, but the same COVID playbook is being used:

 The U.S. military in South Korea reimposed a mandatory mask policy and restricted travel to Seoul as the nation recorded another record-breaking number of coronavirus cases Friday.

The U.S. Forces Korea directive, which lasts through July 23, came as the South Korean government announced 1,316 new patients Friday, bringing the country’s number of known infections to 165,344.

“To protect our communities and our mission, we are implementing an immediate, aggressive approach to prevent the virus’ spread any further,” USFK commander Gen. Paul LaCamera said in a statement. (…..)

Seoul reported 583 cases Wednesday, the highest number of daily transmissions there since the pandemic began. There were 503 new patients on Friday.

Travel to Areas I and II, which includes the Seoul metropolitan area, is limited to mission-essential and official duties for USFK personnel until the directive expires. The command also reimposed a requirement that everyone wear masks while indoors on military installations, regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated.

Those who have been vaccinated will be allowed to remove their masks while “actively” exercising in on-post gyms, as long as they observe social distancing measures, according to the USFK statement.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but bars and clubs remain off limits to US personnel as well.

When I see these reports it would be more informational if we knew if any of these people had the vaccine and if so what symptoms did they have?:

South Korea recorded 1,212 COVID-19 infections Wednesday, its highest on-day number of patients this year and the second highest of the pandemic. 

U.S. Forces Korea, meanwhile, announced that 19 people had tested positive for the coronavirus respiratory disease between June 29 and July 2.

The surge in cases, which forced Seoul to suspend plans to ease pandemic restrictions related to masks and social distancing, came the same day that public tours were temporarily halted to the Joint Security Area at the border between the two Koreas.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but of interest is that the article states that USFK has an over 80% vaccination percentage.

From the Stars & Stripes:

Gen. Paul LaCamera, described by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as a “quiet warrior” who “drives results,” has taken command of U.S. Forces Korea, United Nations Command and Combined Forces Command.

“Our alliance – forged in blood in the crucible of the Korean War – has been the bedrock of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula for more than 70 years,” LaCamera said during a Friday ceremony at Barker Field that included video remarks from Austin and flyovers by A-10 Warthogs and F-16 Fighting Falcons.

“I look forward to us getting together in the true spirit of one team, to strengthen our alliance and to propel it to even great heights,” LaCamera, who previously commanded U.S. Army Pacific, told an audience that included the head of Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John Aquilino, and South Korean defense minister Suh Wook.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but the prior USFK commander General Abrams is retiring after 39 years of service.