Tag: USFK

This has long been reported, but the ROK military has confirmed the deployment of U.S. Patriot missile batteries off the peninsula for the first time:

About 200 U.S. troops based in South Korea have been temporarily redeployed to the Middle East, according to a South Korean military official cited in a local news report. The soldiers were part of a Patriot missile-defense unit stationed in South Korea and deployed to an undisclosed location the Middle East last month, the Ministry of National Defense official told South Korean broadcast KBS for a report Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, a common practice for government sources in the South. The South Korean defense ministry referred questions to U.S. Forces Korea, which oversees approximately 28,500 American troops on the peninsula. In an email Monday, USFK spokesman David Kim said the command “maintains a ready, capable and lethal force” but declined to provide further details, citing operational security. Patriot batteries are deployed across U.S. military bases in South Korea to protect against potential threats from the North.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but this is what strategic flexibility that U.S. military leaders have been advocating for USFK looks like.

I think any decision to reduce USFK troop numbers will be highly dependent on the ROK government supporting U.S. troops being used for off peninsula contingencies:

Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Cho Chang-rae (R) and U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) (C) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) pose for a photo during their talks on May 31, 2025, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense forum in Singapore, in this photo provided by South Korea’s defense ministry.

A senior South Korean defense official has underscored the importance of maintaining the current troop level of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) during meetings with U.S. lawmakers Saturday, the South’s defense ministry said.

The move came amid speculation that the United States may partially pull out the USFK to seek “strategic flexibility” to better deal with an assertive China.

Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Cho Chang-rae made the point as he met with U.S. congressional delegations representing the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense forum in Singapore. Cho attended the gathering instead of acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho.

In the talks, Cho emphasized the South Korean military and the USFK should continue to work together to maintain regional peace and stability by enhancing deterrence against North Korea on the Korean Peninsula on the back of a firm combined defense posture, the ministry said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This confirms that the Pentagon is looking at how to adjust force posture in the Indo-Pacific and it could mean there could be change coming to USFK or not. We will eventually see what options for force posture changes the Pentagon decides upon:

A senior U.S. defense official underscored the need Thursday to “modernize” the alliance with South Korea and “calibrate” U.S. force posture on the Korean Peninsula to deter China, apparently leaving open the possibility of an adjustment to the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) presence.

In a press briefing, the official pointed out Washington’s desire to work with the incoming Seoul government to ensure that the bilateral partnership is “strategically sustainable,” as South Korea is set to pick a new president in an election set for Tuesday.

The official’s remarks followed a recent news report that the Pentagon is considering withdrawing roughly 4,500 troops of the 28,500-strong USFK and moving them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific, including Guam. The Pentagon has dismissed the report as untrue.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I knew this was BS when I first read about it. Some planners in the Pentagon were probably working on different force structure options in the Pacific. Different options were developed and someone decided to leak this information even though no formal discussiosn or decisions on anything has been made:

South Korea’s military on Friday firmly denied that any discussions have taken place with the United States regarding a potential withdrawal of American troops from the peninsula, following a media report suggesting the White House was considering such a move. “Absolutely nothing was discussed,” the Ministry of National Defense said in a text message to reporters.

It emphasized that the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in the South remain a “core strategy” of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and a key deterrent to North Korean aggression. The statement came hours after The Wall Street Journal, citing two unnamed U.S. military officials, reported that President Donald Trump’s administration was evaluating a possible redeployment of 4,500 troops from South Korea to other Indo-Pacific locations, including Guam. The report said the idea was among several under consideration and had not yet been presented to Trump.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but the USFK troops can’t move to Guam anyway because Congressman Johnson said it would tip over.

The USFK commander makes it sound like that US war planners should consider using US troops on the peninsula for defending against more than just North Korea:

The top U.S. commander in South Korea likened the peninsula’s strategic location in the Indo-Pacific to a “fixed aircraft carrier floating in the water” near China, during a keynote address Thursday in Hawaii. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, who leads U.S. Forces Korea, delivered remarks at the Army’s Land Forces Pacific Symposium in Waikiki Beach, urging attendees to rethink the significance of land-based power in the region.

“What immediately stood out to me as I looked at the map was the position of the Korean Peninsula and the fact that it’s on the Asian continent, has a sizable U.S. force posture, is inside the first island chain, and is the closest allied presence to Beijing,” he said. Brunson added: “At night, from a satellite image, [South Korea] looks like an island or like a fixed aircraft carrier floating in the water between Japan and mainland China.” He emphasized the need for military strategists to go beyond conventional north-oriented map views and consider regional geography when assessing strategic positioning.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but this sounds a lot like the strategic flexibility strategy that South Korea has been concerned about.

Here are some pictures I took during a visit to Camp Casey this past winter. Over a decade ago this installation was a hub of military activity since it was home to many more 2nd Infantry Division units than it is today. Today Camp Casey has a bit of a sleepy feeling to it, but the installation has definitely seen much needed renovations over the years. The renovations begins with even the front pedestrian gate being fixed up:

After passing through the pedestrain gate the Army Lodging Hotel can be found.  This building actually used to be an old barracks building many years ago: 

Near the hotel I saw that the old Indianhead Statue that used to be by the front gate of Camp Casey has now been moved inside.  When this statue was located outside the gate I can remember seeing many drunk Soldiers urinating at the base of the statue before going inside the pedestrian gate.  Maybe this is why it was moved inside the base now: 

As I continued to walk up the road from the hotel I saw a really nice looking USO building: 

Here is the view looking towards the PX and commissary area from the USO: 

Here is the law enforcement building located near the front gate which is conveniently located to drop off drunk troublemakers in the ville at: 

This next picture is of the Camp Casey Post Office building located behind the commissary: 

Here is a look at the Camp Casey commissary: 

Adjacent to the commissary is the Camp Casey PX: 

The inside of both the commissary and the PX have remained largely the same over the years, but the outside has been renovated to look like a traditional Korean structure: 

Even the Popeye’s has been renovated to look like a traditional Korean structure: 

A building that was not renovated to look like a traditional Korean building was the Impact Zone club building near the commissary: 

Just up the main road from the PX is the Hanson Pool: 

As well as the Bowling Center: 

Here is the Hanson Field House: 

Further down the road is the Warrior Restaurant otherwise known as a Dining Facility (DFAC): 

Here is a view up the main road as I continued to follow it east through Camp Casey: 

Here is a look at the cemetary located along this road:  

Next to the cemetery a park called Tribute Park has been built: 

These next buildings I walked by used to be used as transient barracks for people who came to Camp Casey for exercises.  I am not sure what they are used for currently: 

As I continued up the road I was able to get a good look at Soyo Mountain that rises over Camp Casey: 

I next passed by the Community Activity Center.  Years ago this was actually a decent restaurant called Reggie’s Soldiers would hang out at if they did not want to walk out to the ville: 

In the center of Camp Casey there is now a large traffic circle with the 2ID patch in the center of it: 

I next spotted a Korean Canteen that is a go-to spot for cheap Korean food on post: 

This next picture shows what the typical barracks building on Camp Casey looks like: 

From this point it was getting extremely cold and I turned around and walked back to the PX to warm up before going back to Seoul.  Something I was happy to confirm along my walk was that what was once called “crackhouses” and quonset huts that once housed officers and NCOs had been torn down.  Hopefully those officers and NCOs are living in better conditions now adays.  

Overall though I found Camp Casey to largely be the same after many years of coming here.  There has been a few new buildings and lot of older buildings renovated over the years, but still the camp largely looks the same.  What is different is how quiet Camp Casey feels now adays.  I visited on a Saturday afternoon and the ville was completely quiet and the base was as well.  This is because far fewer Soldiers are now stationed at the Casey-Hovey duo of bases.  This is because most of the 2nd Infantry Division Soldiers are now housed at Camp Humphreys located south of Seoul.  Camp Casey may be quiet today, but for those of us who served here many years ago will always remember as the one time center of gravity for the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. 

This relocation of aircraft off of Kunsan AB makes sense if the goal is to free up space there to station F-35’s as has been recently speculated:

The U.S. 7th Air Force is forming a second “Super Squadron” of 31 F-16 Fighting Falcons at Osan Air Base, its largest installation in South Korea and the one closest to the North Korean border. The shift will draw down resources at Kunsan Air Base, about 115 miles southwest of Seoul, and lead to the inactivation of two fighter squadrons there.

The Air Force began evaluating the concept of a super squadron — which includes one-third more aircraft than standard units — last summer to determine whether it could generate more sorties with fewer resources, 7th Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Rachel Buitrago said by phone Thursday. In July, nine aircraft and 150 airmen from Kunsan arrived at Osan to establish the first 31-jet squadron. This month, additional F-16s and roughly 1,000 more airmen will relocate from Kunsan to Osan to form the second squadron, Buitrago said.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

It looks like USFK’s airpower could see a signficant increase if this news become reality:

The U.S. military is considering the permanent deployment of advanced F-35A radar-evading fighter jets to South Korea, a source said Sunday.

The deployment, if realized, would mark a major addition to U.S. air assets in South Korea, which consist mostly of older-generation F-16 fighter jets. F-35s have previously only been temporarily deployed for joint training.

“The U.S. military has a concept of permanently deploying F-35As at Kunsan Air Base,” the source said. “It will first deploy one squadron, and there is a possibility of rotationally deploying another squadron.”

A squadron is an Air Force unit made up of around 20 aircraft.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I can’t remember an 8th Army commander ever having such a short command, but LTG LaNeve is going on to do bigger and better things at the Pentagon:

After just a year leading American ground forces in South Korea, Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve relinquished command of the Eighth Army this week as he prepares for a new post as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. During a Wednesday ceremony at Eighth Army headquarters, LaNeve formally passed command to Brig. Gen. Sean Crockett, his deputy, who will serve in an acting capacity until a permanent successor is nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate.

LaNeve assumed command April 5, 2024, and was nominated for his new role on March 25. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Willard Burleson, served for four years, following nearly three years under Lt. Gen. Michael Bills. Speaking at the ceremony, LaNeve emphasized the enduring partnership between the United States and South Korea, a cornerstone of security on the peninsula since the end of the Korean War, according to a statement emailed Thursday by command spokesman James Choe.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

One thing to remember about troop withdrawals you have to have some place to put them back in the U.S. Money would have to be spent to build the facilities to support relocating those troops. Right now 2ID is housed on a brand new base, Camp Humphreys paid for mostly by the ROK government:

U.S. military leaders in the Indo-Pacific presented negative views about the idea of a U.S. troop reduction in South Korea on Thursday, amid lingering concerns that the Trump administration could seek a troop cut or realignment to focus more on threats from China.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo Jr. warned the withdrawal or reduction of American troops from South Korea would raise a “higher” likelihood of a North Korean invasion, while U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said a troop reduction would be “problematic.”

As U.S. President Donald Trump is charging ahead with his “America First” agenda, speculation has persisted that his administration could look to curtail overseas military involvement and call for allies to take greater responsibilities for their own security.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.