Category: USFK

Here is the latest on the development of the Yongsan Park:

The idea of creating Yongsan Park became official in 2005 after the Roh Moo-hyun administration and the U.S. agreed to relocate troops there to Pyeongtaek. 

In 2007, the National Assembly passed a special act on the creation of the park and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport began allocating resources for it.

No one expected the relocation would take so long. 

One reason for the delay was that government had to find money to finance the Yongsan Relocation Plan ― which it was supposed to pay for. Occasional provocations from North Korea were also a factor that influenced the project. 

Now, the former U.S. site is more than 90 percent empty. 

The land ministry projects the park will be opened in 2027, but many, including the Ministry of National Defense responsible for the site return negotiations, are cautious, only saying it will largely depend on the talks which are expected to hit a stumbling block over the issue of soil contamination. 

The land ministry has got many things done so far.

In 2012, it selected a team of architects and urban planners to design the park ― the final version of the plan was made public last week and can be found at park.go.kr. 

The ministry is also carrying out aggressive public awareness campaigns about the park. 

In 2018, the ministry began offering tours of the garrison, inviting a limited number of residents to see the historic buildings and sites.

On Aug. 1, the ministry is opening up the 50,000 square meters of land that used to be a residential compound for U.S. military officers and their families. The land was returned to Korea in 1986 but instead of opening up to the public immediately, the government built new houses and rented them to USFK personnel until the end of last year.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but how many people think all of Yongsan Garrison will be turned into a park? I also wonder if the historic Imperial Japanese era buildings will be torn down as well.

Condolences to the airman’s friends and family:

An airman found dead this week at Kunsan Air Base served as a section chief for the 8th Maintenance Squadron, the 8th Fighter Wing announced Wednesday.

Tech Sgt. Joshua Arndt, 35, was found unresponsive in his dorm room just before 9 a.m. Monday and pronounced dead 20 minutes later, according to statements issued by the wing. His death is under investigation.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tech. Sgt. Arndt,” said Col. Christopher Hammond, commander of 8th Fighter Wing, according to the wing. “On behalf of the Wolf Pack, I offer our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fellow Airmen.”

Arndt was one of nearly 4,600 airmen selected this month for advancement to the rank of master sergeant.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

The trickle of positive coronavirus cases from USFK personnel arriving in South Korea continues:

The number of coronavirus cases affiliated with U.S. Forces Korea soared to 111, with 12 more troops and a dependent testing positive after traveling from the United States to South Korea over the past two weeks, the military said Wednesday.

The increase reflected a surge in infections in the United States. USFK has insisted the arrivals pose no risk to local communities because they are tightly controlled with a strict testing and two-week quarantine process.

Ten service members and the dependent who tested positive arrived at Incheon International Airport on commercial flights on July 8, 9 and 19, according to a press release.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

The idea of using USFK to respond to global missions has officially returned:

The U.S. push for greater “strategic flexibility” for its forces deployed around the world could increase the chances of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) being mobilized for missions beyond the Korean Peninsula, experts said Wednesday.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday that he wants to pursue more rotational force deployments into theaters as it give the U.S. “greater strategic flexibility in terms of responding to challenges around the globe.”

The remarks came in response to a recent media report that the Pentagon has offered the White House options to reduce American troop levels in South Korea. Esper, however, said he has not issued an order to withdraw forces from the Korean Peninsula.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but this issue came up 15 years ago and a compromised was reached that USFK would only be deployed if supported by the will of the Korean people.

What we could see happening is that a future rotational brigade that was originally scheduled to deploy to Korea instead deploys somewhere else. This would allow the U.S. to reduce troops in South Korea in a face saving way.

I think this is demonstrating how widespread coronavirus now is within the U.S. population with so many people testing positive for it after arrival in Korea:

Fourteen more Americans affiliated with the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea, the U.S. military said Thursday, amid growing concerns over a surge in imported virus cases.

USFK has seen a marked increase in the number of COVID-19 patients among newly assigned service members and related personnel in recent weeks along with the fast spread of the virus in the U.S.

The latest cases brought the total number of USFK-related infections to 88. Of them, 52 were reported in July.

Of the 14 new patients, 12 were service members and two were dependents, and they tested positive after arriving here between July 9 and 15, according to USFK.

Nine soldiers and two family members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on a U.S. government-chartered flight. The remaining three arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, from their home country on commercial flights, it added.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

At least there was no tragic ending to this missing servicemember case:

A U.S. airman who went missing last week returned safely to Osan Air Base on Tuesday nearly a week after he was reported absent from his unit, the military said.

The Air Force launched a search for Staff Sgt. Tristin Blake Jarvis, 26, of the 51st Force Support Squadron on July 9, saying he was last seen in the vicinity of the Osan Fitness Center the day before, according to the 51st Fighter Wing.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

Here is the latest on USFK coronavirus cases:

Nine people with U.S. Forces Korea tested positive for the coronavirus after traveling to South Korea from the United States, pushing the total number of confirmed cases in isolation to 21, the military said Friday.

Concern about a spillover effect has prompted USFK to follow the South Korean government’s lead in requiring coronavirus tests for all passengers from abroad upon arrival and before they are allowed to exit a mandatory two-week quarantine.

Seven of the service members tested positive after arriving on two separate government-chartered flights known as the Patriot Express, which land at Osan Air Base, USFK said in a statement.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, the recent positive tests from arriving personnel has pushed the USFK total to 63. However, the last local transmission of the coronavirus occurred all the way back on April 14th.

For readers in the Osan AB area, be on the lookout for this missing airman:

Search crews fanned out across Osan Air Base to look for a missing U.S. airman on Friday, a day after he was reported absent from his unit, officials said.

Staff Sgt. Tristin Blake Jarvis, 26, of the 51st Force Support Squadron was last seen in the vicinity of the Osan Fitness Center on Wednesday afternoon, according to a press release.

However, security forces searched his room and determined he had been there before changing and leaving, said 1st Lt. Daniel de la Fe, a spokesman for the 51st Fighter Wing.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.