Category: USFK

I wonder if he was making a stand against taxi cab related incidents?:

South Korean police said they are seeking an arrest warrant for a man accused of vandalizing a statue outside of Camp Casey’s main gate.

Yangju police detective Yun Yeo-gil said the man, identified only as Choi, smashed the statue with a brick at about 10:20 p.m. Dec. 31. Riot police guarding the U.S. base apprehended Choi and turned him over to local police. Yun said Choi also is accused of vandalizing the statue on Dec. 15. Choi’s anti-American sentiments and state of intoxication led to the incidents, according to Yun.

The detective said the statue, of an American Indian, suffered $300 to $400 in damage.

Here is an interesting story from the Stars and Stripes about a Field Artillery battery using ROK Army assets in conjunction with their training:

U.S. and South Korean soldiers trained side-by-side here all last week as part of a combined joint exercise involving infantry, artillery and air strikes.

On Thursday, South Korean infantrymen stood guard while U.S. soldiers from B Battery, 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment prepared to fire simulated rocket missions at Twin Bridges, a training area just south of the demilitarized zone.

Battery B commander Capt. Gary Lyke, 34, of Pensacola, Fla., said 31 infantrymen from 1st Battalion, 113rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Republic of Korea Armored Brigade were guarding his unit’s six Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, 12 ammunition trucks and three fire direction centers.

Now I got one question. Is the ROK Army training to protect the FA soldiers from these people:

Or from these people:

A KATUSA that was interviewed also had some interesting things to say about comparing the ROK Army with the US Army:

Cpl. Jung Kyung-hoon, a 21- year-old KATUSA, said the South Korean soldiers were curious about his job and that he told them it was good.

South Korean soldiers are very different than U.S. soldiers, he said. Their training schedule is really tight, and they don’t get enough rest. Sometimes the ROK Army just thinks the U.S. Army is not motivated and not good. The only time they hear about us is when there is an accident. But when they train with us, it makes them think about us for real. We have got to do more of it.”

“Unmotivated and not good?” You have got to be kidding me. Who’s countries soldiers are kicking ass in Iraq right now while the Korean soldiers remained locked on a base in Kurdistan playing Starcraft and installing toilets? The ROK Army is always welcome to take up operations in Baghdad to show their military skills.

To be fair though that is the first time I have heard such a comment coming from the ROK Army. The ROK Army soldiers I have worked with have been quite professional and appreciative of USFK. I have had a few whining KATUSAs before but the vast majority have been outstanding.

Never the less I can’t let the comment go by unchallenged just because the image of the US Army in Korea is tarnished by the few negative incidents that happen every year that the Korean press blows way out of proportion doesn’t mean that the US Army is unmotivated and no good. If positive stories like this one also in the Stars and Stripes about a doctor jumping down on to train tracks to aid car wreck survivors will receive little to no national publicity in Korea thus not helping USFK improve it’s national image.

The Stars and Stripes today is running an article the Korean contracted security guards providing proper force protection for US Army camps here in Korea:

Recent news reports blasting civilian contracted security at a handful of Army bases in the States and the U.S. European Command’s decision last week to conduct a comprehensive force protection assessment of all installations and facilities in the theater should not worry base residents in South Korea, officials here said.

That’s because anyone seeking to enter an installation here illegally would be up against multiple layers of gate security controls, including Korean National Police who patrol outside the bases, the 1,400 civilian guards who work inside the gates and the soldiers and technology that round out the package.

When I read this I began to immediately think of all the Koreans illegal on post gambling away despite all the security measures. The article did address this at least:

Stuart said 99.9 percent of the (contracted guards) are top notch. But anytime you gather a large group of people, he added, you’re going to have a few bad apples.

One example is the occasional television news story in which a reporter will secretly film himself bribing his way onto a U.S. installation usually the first step in getting footage of South Koreans illegally gambling on base slot machines.

The amount of Koreans gambling away at on post slot machine areas is due also to a systematic problem of people being signed in on post by ID card holders who then allow them to go to the slots, as well as corruption. Some may remember this scam uncovered last April when a Korean woman who was an ID card holder was signing people on to Yongsan for $30 a pop. The police found her bank account containing $1.2 million dollars from the scam.

You would think somebody would have noticed this woman coming in and out of Yongsan continuously with new customers the past three years. Not to mention employees at the casino noticing her dropping people off at the casino every day. That is why I think there was probably Korean employees complacent in this scam. I am willing to bet these activities are continuing on today. Just go to the on post slots or golf course. You think everyone in there is a valid ID card holder?

This is going to be a tough practice to change:

The name tags would help avoid the common practice of soldiers addressing South Korean base workers as “ajoshi” (uncle) or “ajuma” (aunt). Several South Korean employees had come forward with badge designs since the proposal was made, Newton said.

Kang Hyung-do, the USFK Korean Employee Union’s Uijeongbu chapter president, said he understands U.S. soldier’s use the words to be friendly with base employees, but that long-term workers — and younger employees — find the terms offensive.

“We think Col. Newton’s proposal is really great, affirmative and encouraging for us,” Kang said. “We hope this … can help to improve the human rights of our Korean employees.”

I didn’t know I was committing human rights violations by calling the taxi driver ajushi. We better start putting these soldiers on trial in the Hague for daily human rights violations.

But seriously this is going to be a tough practice to change because everyone thinks that ajushi/ajuma is what the Koreans are supposed to be called in their language. Name tags will help to an extent because if I can see a person name I will use it. Many AAFES workers already wear name tages. Taxi drivers and bus drivers you can’t see their names when their driving. We’ll just have to see how this plays out but hopefully it doesn’t get blown out of proportion.

The Marmot has more on this on his site.

29 years ago today, Operation Paul Bunyan was launched in response to the brutal axe murders of two US Army officers stationed on the Korean demilitarized zone at Panmunjom.

The two officers, CPT Arthur Bonifas commander of the security company at the JSA and his executive officer 1LT Mark Barrett on August 18, 1976 led a 5 man Korean Service Corps detail along with a six UNC soldier guard force to trim a tree that was obscuring the view of a guard shack located at the Bridge of No Return.

Here is an account of the incident from the book Hazardous Duty:

At 10:30 that morning, the KSC workers set up two ladders and started pruning branches. Five minutes later, a North Korean truck rolled up and disgorged two North Korean officers and nine enlisted men. The senior Communist officer was First Lieutenant Pak Chol, a veteran JSA guard known to have provoked scuffles with UNC personnel in the past. He asked Captain Kim what work was in progress and was told that the KSC team was only pruning branches. Lieutenant Pak muttered, “That is good.”

In their normally officious manner, the North Koreans began to coach the South Korean workers on the proper method of branch pruning. This was an obvious attempt to usurp the authority of the American officers, so Captain Bonifas told the men to simply get on with their work. Twenty minutes passed, and then, for no reason, Lieutenant Pak marched up to Captain Bonifas and ordered him to halt the trimming.

Bonifas refused, adding that his men would complete their job and leave. Lieutenant Pak shouted that anymore branch trimming would bring “serious trouble.” Captain Bonifas and Lieutenant Barrett had heard such threats before. They ignored the Communists. Still strutting and shouting, Lieutenant Pak sent away for reinforcements. Ten more Communist guards arrived by truck, and six more came trotting up from nearby guard posts. There were now thirty North Koreans surrounding the thirteen UNC soldiers and five KSC workmen. Lieutenant Pak was screaming now that any additional trimming would mean “death.”

The UNC Quick Reaction Force was monitoring the situation by radio and photographing the scene with a telephoto surveillance camera.

Captain Bonifas turned his back on the angry Communist officer to make sure the workers continued the pruning. He did not see Lieutenant Pak remove his watch, wrap it in a handkerchief and stick it into the pocket of his trousers. Nor did he see the other North Korean officer rolling up the sleeves of his jacket. An American NCO strode forward to warn Captain Bonifas.

At that moment, Lieutenant Pak screamed, “Chookyo!” Kill!

North Koreans Attack the Tree Trimming Detail

What proceeded to happen after that is the North Korean soldiers attacked the two American officers with their own axes and mattocks. The two officers were bludgeoned to death and the attack was only stopped when the driver of a two and half ton army vehicle drove at the attackers and over the mutilated body of CPT Bonifas dispersing the attackers. The North Koreans then quickly proceeded to run back across the Bridge of No Return. Overall two US officers were killed, 4 US soldiers injured, and 4 ROK Army soldiers were injured in the melee.

The North Koreans at the time had been committing a series of aggressive attacks on US and ROK soldiers. The North Koreans were trying to provoke a war by creating a US backlash. In 1976 the US had by then down sized the US commitment of soldiers to defend Korea by withdrawing the 7th Infantry Division leaving only the 2nd Infantry Division which remains today to help protect Korea. Plus the US was just coming out of the humiliating withdrawal from Vietnam that had greatly sapped the morale of the military and the American public. All during this time the North Koreans had undergone a large build up of forces themselves to the point where they had a two to one advantage over the UNC forces.

Kim Il Sung felt he could militarily defeat the UNC Army at this time, but he needed the UNC to attack him first to secure the backing of world opinion. If the US conducted a bombing campaign or any other direct show of force on the North Koreans war would of broke out and Kim Il Sung could blame the Americans for it and legitimize his invasion.

Kim Il Sung got his response from America which demonstrated America’s resolve in protecting Korea’s freedom with Operation Paul Bunyan.

Something substantial had to be done in response to the North Korean aggression but war was something the US did not want to be responsible for starting. However, if the North Koreans wanted war the US was making preparations for it. All the forces in Korea went to the highest state of alert DEFCON-3. Soldiers in the both the US and ROK Armies moved North to their battle positions, extra naval power was brought in, SR-71 flights were increased over North Korea to monitor troop movements, and F-111 bombers capable of dropping nuclear munitions were flown overnight from the United States to Korea.

This massive show of force by the United States had the desired effect of causing the North Koreans to take a defensive posture. SR-71 reconnaissance photos showed the entire North Korean country preparing for invasion. This had to have a psychological effect on the North Koreans because they had always trained and prepared for an offensive against the South Koreans and now here they were back on their heels.

With the military build up complete something had to be done about that tree. That tree stood as a challenge to all free men. It was decided that the tree must go. Here is more from the book Hazardous Duty:

Every operation needs a name and General Stilwell’s was appropriate: Operation PAUL BUNYAN. The key elements were surprise, speed of execution and withdrawal, and avoidance of direct engagement with North Korean troops. Our forces would include soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division, as well as ROK Special Forces and Recon troopers of the 1st ROK Division. Altogether, a force of 813 men would be involved. Task Force VIERRA (named for Lieutenant Colonel Victor Vierra, commander of the USASG) would conduct the actual tree cutting. The unit would include sixty American and ROK guards, divided in two platoons, armed with sidearms and pickax handles. The ROK men were Special Forces; each man was a Black Belt in TaeKwonDo. They would guard two eight-man engineer teams who would actually cut down the tree with chain saws. A truck-borne ROK reconnaissance company, armed with M-16 rifles, mortars, and machine guns, would be prominently deployed just outside the JSA: crack South Korean troops defending their own soil. They would be beefed up with American tube-launched optically tracked wire-guided (TOW) anti-tank-missile teams.

Vierra’s troops were backed up by other elements of the division, including a reinforced composite rifle company from the 9th Infantry Regiment, which would be orbiting aboard twenty Huey helicopters a few hundred meters south of the DMZ, supported by twelve AH-1G Cobra gunships. Tank-busting F-4 Phantoms would be prowling at a slightly higher orbit. F-111 medium strategic bombers would orbit still higher, and be clearly visible to North Korean radar.

To complete the demonstration of firepower, three batteries of American 105mm howitzers were to be moved across the Freedom Bridge north of the Imjin River. Another three batteries of ROK heavy artillery would be positioned just south of the river in clear view of North Korean positions. The gunners, Stilwell said, would have “rounds in the tube and hands on the lanyards.”

Operation PAUL BUNYAN was scheduled to begin at exactly 0700, the morning of Saturday, August 21, 1976.

At that precise moment, a massive flight of B-52 bombers from Guam would be moving ominously north up the Yellow Sea on a vector directly to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. In the Sea of Japan, Task Force 77.4’s aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Midway, would launch forty combat aircraft that would vector north above international waters.

The ROK Army Tae Kwon Do black belts were specifically selected by South Korean president Park Chung Hee himself to deal with any possible North Korean interference in the tree cutting.

UNC Soldiers Trim Tree Near the Bridge of No Return

A total of 13 chainsaws wielded by soldiers from the 2nd Engineer Battalion were used to cut down the tree. The first branch of the tree was cut at 07:18 and the entire tree cutting was complete by 07:45. Saving face is a very important social factor in Asia and after the tree cutting all that remained was the stump to remind the North Koreans of the extreme loss of face that had just received by the US and ROK soldiers.

In fact days later the North Koreans would offer a statement of regret for the incident and a plan was worked out to remove four North Koreans guard points south of the Military Demarcation Line. The massive US and ROK show of force had made the North Koreans back down, make concessions, and lose face. This was definitely not the result Kim Il Sung had expected.

Today where the stump once stood is marked with a plaque and the part of the tree that was cut down was once housed in the 2ID Engineer Brigade headquarters which this summer has deactivated and the tree was planned to be moved to either the Ft. Leonardwood Engineer Museum or the 2ID Museum on Camp Red Cloud.

Though today tensions may not run as high as they were on the DMZ in 1976, however the Panmunjom Axe Murder Incident should still serve as a reminder of the nature of the North Korean regime and the commitment of the United States military and the ROK Army to protect freedom and democracy on the Korean peninsula. The sacrifice by CPT Bonifas and 1LT Barrett is just another example that freedom is in fact not free, especially here in Korea.
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For more on Operation Paul Bunyan check out the following books:

This is interesting, that the US is still deciding whether to turn over the PFC involved in June fatal traffic accident to the Korean authorities:

U.S. Forces Korea has filed for a two-week extension to decide whether it will release criminal jurisdiction to South Korea in the case of a U.S. soldier who was driving a military truck that struck and killed a woman.

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice requested a “release of criminal jurisdiction,” on July 26 and USFK had 28 days to respond or to request a 14-day extension.

USFK legal officials requested the extension on Aug. 18, said command spokesman David Oten, and must make a final decision by Sept. 1.

U.S. officials have said they “will thoroughly review the matter and give full and sympathetic consideration to this request.”

Now the family of the deceased Korean civilian has already said they don’t want to have the driver punished for the unfortunate accident yet the local police submitted a request for trial of the PFC never the less. I find it surprising that USFK hasn’t made a decision on this matter yet. The only thing I can think of is that they are seriously considering handing the PFC over as a sacrificial lamb to quell anti-US sentiment.

Can you imagine if this soldier goes to jail over this even though the family has already said they don’t want him too? I think what may be happening is that there may be a pre-trial agreement in the works between the Army, the family, and the local court to possibly try the soldier in Korean court and offer a plea bargain that includes no jail time but an apology and hefty compensation from the Army to the family. This would be an arrangement that would make everyone happy.

Once again this is just speculation on my part, but I guess we will see what happens on this issue by September 1st.

It looks like things are calming down at Camp Humphreys:

The head of a group representing club owners outside Camp Humphreys said Tuesday he’s hoping to persuade base officials to quickly rescind an order that placed a dozen local businesses off-limits last week and touched off an outcry from the merchants.

Camp Humphreys commander Col. Michael J. Taliento Jr. last week put 11 of the businesses off-limits, alleging they were selling alcohol to underage servicemembers. He put a 12th business off-limits for an alleged instance of prostitution or human trafficking.

Kim Ki-ho, president of the Anjung-ri Merchants Association, said merchants were so angered they hung a banner Friday in the heart of the bar district to protest the move.

“Commander Michael J. Taliento Jr., You go back to Afghanistan again,” the banner read. Taliento served in Afghanistan before taking command of the Area III Support Activity at Camp Humphreys in June 2004.

But the merchants have since put aside their anger and on Sunday afternoon took down the banner, said Kim.

I’m sure they will work something out, the clubs will be on their best behavior, and this whole thing will blow over. Given time, things will eventually be back to business as usual.

It is definitely not a good time to be stationed at Camp Humphreys. Now the Area III commander COL Michael Taliento is in the cross hairs of all the business owners of Anjeong-ri which is the city that lies outside of Camp Humphreys.

Gar from the Bass Hole provides this scoop:

The quiet little town of Anjeong-ri just got a lot quieter. The base Commander has decided to put off-limits approximately half the bars in town, including Family Mart. That’s right, Family Mart. Why you might ask? Good question. Apparently an undercover and underage CID agent was able to purchase alcohol at the now banned establishments, so they’ve been put off-limits. Is this fair? You tell me.

The Anjeong-ri residents are having none of it and all joined together last night in a rare show of solidarity to shut the town down. They also hung a huge banner at the top of the street near the walk-through gate, which clearly expresses their opinion of the situation.

I can understand the command’s frustration with under age drinking especially with all the recent bad press of USFK soldiers. However, IMHO what should be done is that the ville should be off limits after 1900 to under age soldiers. Why punish everyone on the camp and piss off the locals when you could solve the problem of under age drinkers by not letting them in the ville to begin with? It isn’t like this group of soldiers is being punished because they shouldn’t be down in the ville drinking to anyway. Carding of soldiers as they leave the gate into Anjeong-ri and random checks of ID cards down range would be the way to implement this policy. Then slam those who are caught breaking this command policy.

Plus it is foolish to piss off the locals when there support is needed if USFK hopes to have the land deal to expand Camp Humphreys succeed. The protesters are currently targeting the back area of Camp Humphreys not the front gate area because the business owners would have none of that. There are other ways just like I suggested that will keep the locals happy and the people who are of age and not causing problems to go down to the ville.

Once again, I can understand the command’s frustrations but there are better ways to handle this then punishing everyone. Then again it could be worse for the people of Camp Humphreys, they could be commanded to not drink at all, like all of us up here in 2ID land.

(Hat Tip: Nomad)

I came upon this Staff Sergeant’s take on the no driving policy implemented by USFK for E6’s and below due to the spike in drunk driving incidents:

Here at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul, most E5’s and above are required to live off post on the economy due to a lack of barracks space on post to house them in. Well, after one too many drunk driving incidents, the General decided to take away driving privileges from all Sergeants and Staff Sergeants, even though they are required to live off post. Now, these soldiers who live off post are supposed to either walk in to work every day rain or shine, or take a taxi at their own expense. Some live very far off post, and some are hurt physically and don’t have much choice but to take a taxi.

OK folks, now here is the part that pisses me off the most…..One of the reasons besides drinking and driving when taking away driving privileges away from these soldiers was immaturity, yet UNDERAGE DEPENDENTS here in Yongsan have cars and drivers licenses. Now if this isn’t a slap in the face to every NCO who is walking into work every day then I don’t know what else is. Well, now it should be evident that the driving policy is clearly self serving to our Senior Officers and NCO’s, as who else is crusty enough to have kids old enough to drive in country?? That’s right folks, the top brass and stripes themselves, while pulling driving privileges from those soldiers they should be looking out for kept the driving privileges in place for their own flesh and blood.

I did not know that many junior NCO’s lived off post at Yongsan much less the fact that underage dependents are allowed to drive on Yongsan as well. I can understand this staff sergeant’s frustration level every day seeing high school kids driving cars while junior NCOs can’t plus the fact they have to walk to work every day from off post. Does anyone in Yongsan know if this issue has been addressed yet?

This story in today’s Stars and Stripes is strange but really not surprising:

Local police are seeking a South Korean man who works for the U.S. military in connection with the discovery of about 12 tons of U.S. military shell casings and live ammunition in a commercial warehouse Monday.

Detective Im Il-soon of the South Yangju police station identified the suspect as a 47-year-old man named Kim who works for the 17th Ordnance Company, which operates from the Kwangsa-ri ammunition depot, south of Dongducheon.

Im said three other South Korean men, none of whom work for the U.S. military, are being held in connection with the case.

Camp Kwangsa-ri is located between Dongducheon and Uijongbu just off of Highway 3. The camp is mainly run by the ROK Army with a handful of civilian workers and even smaller contingent of US soldiers. All training ammunition is picked up and dropped off at this camp for 2ID. It appears the Mr. Kim they are looking for who I actually have had to interact with before at Kwangsa-ri to turn in ammo, if it is the same Mr. Kim, was trying to sell the shell casings as scrap metal but was negligent and let live rounds mix with the expended rounds when he handed over the brass to Mr. Shin. The Korean workers are extremely careful to seperate brass and live ammo at the facility so this slip up is equally strange:

The police detective said the three men in custody helped broker a deal between Kim and a man identified only as Shin, who paid about $30,000 for the casings and ammunition as scrap metal. Im said Shin was not arrested because police believe he didn’t know the merchandise was stolen when he purchased it.

The detective said some of Shin’s employees who had military experience became suspicious of the ammunition boxes and contacted the police.

Im said that as former soldiers, the employees said they knew that “if even one bullet was missing in their units, it would be a really huge problem for them.”

Im said 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and .50-caliber rounds and shell casings were found in the cases.

Since Mr. Shin turned over the ammunition to the police this leads me to believe he probably didn’t do anything illegal. However, if they did try to melt down the ammo it really could of turned into a dangerous situation for those involved. I just wonder how long Mr. Kim has been selling the old brass for $30,000 a pop? He has been there for quite a while. If Mr. Shin didn’t turn them in, Mr. Kim would have never gotten busted. It also makes me wonder how many other illegal activities such as this goes on in Korea without USFK knowing?