▲ View of the South Post of Yongsan US military base


The U.S. returned 12 bases used by the USFK, including parts of Yongsan, Seoul.



The government today (11th) held the 201st US Forces Korea Status Agreement (SOFA) Joint Committee with the United States on video and agreed to return 12 US military bases in Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi, Nam-gu, Daegu, Pohang, and Taebaek, Gangwon. Revealed.



Choi Chang-won, the first deputy head of the State Affairs Coordination Office, at an interview held by the Ministry of Defense in Yongsan-gu, said, "If the base return is delayed, the economic and social difficulties faced by the local community will intensify. I did."



The total area of ​​the 12 sites returned today is about 1.65 million square meters, which is just over half of Yeouido's area.



In Seoul, two sites (50,000m2), including the sports field and softball stadium at the South Post, Yongsan US military base, were returned.



In accordance with the 2002 Combined Land Management Plan (LPP) agreed by the ROK and the United States, and the 2004 Yongsan Base Relocation Agreement (YRP), a part of the Yongsan U.S. military base (2,300,000㎡) was returned after starting the return work for 80 USFK bases nationwide. This is the first time.



In addition, Camp Kim in Yongsan (50,000㎡), Religious Retreat in District 8 (20,000㎡), Niblo Barlux (30,000㎡), a support facility for foreign residents in Hannam, Serving High School (5,000㎡), and the Far East Engineer Corps in Jung-gu ( 50,000㎡), etc.



The government has announced that it will develop the Camp Kim site as a public housing complex.




The site of the Far East Engineering Corps is being considered by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Seoul Metropolitan Government to build a'Central Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital.



In Gyeonggi-do, three places were returned: Uijeongbu Camp Jackson (170,000㎡), Hanam Seongnam Golf Course (93,000㎡), and part of Dongducheon Camp Mobile (Zone 1, 60,000㎡).



In addition, Camp Walker Heliport in Nam-gu, Daegu (70,000 ㎡), Naval Pohang Dispatch in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do (10,000 ㎡), and part of the Taebaek Pilseung Shooting Range in Gangwon-do (20,000 ㎡) were also included in the return base.



Most of these are places where local governments and residents have strongly demanded immediate return for local development.



As when the four US military bases were returned in December of last year, the Korean government will first pay the cost of cleaning up the environment, and the cost sharing will be discussed later.



The ROK and the United States will continue to discuss not only where the responsibility for pollution purification is, but also measures to strengthen the environmental management of the bases currently used by the USFK, development of pollution management standards, the usual common pollution investigation procedure, the reporting procedure in case of environmental accidents and the joint investigation procedure. The expected.



In consideration of the social and economic problems caused by the delay in return of US military bases to the local community, the government has conducted consultations with the US, centering on the State Affairs Coordination Office, with the participation of related ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Environment.



With 12 bases returned, including Yongsan Base and Camp Mobile, which are only partially returned this time, only 12 of the total 80 U.S. military bases that are eligible for return are now left.



The government plans to continue to consult with the US for the return of the remaining bases.



(Photo = Yonhap News)