After Twists and Turns, ROK-US Combined Forces Command Moves to Pyeongtaek After 44 Years

The photo shows the ceremony commemorating the 26th anniversary of the establishment of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command.

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense announced that the United States Forces Korea (USFK) headquarters, located in Yongsan, Seoul, will relocate to the Pyeongtaek Humphreys base by the end of this month. This marks the end of the 44-year period since 1978 during which the USFK was stationed at the Yongsan base, ushering in a new era in Pyeongtaek.

In 2019, then-Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo and Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan held a defense ministerial meeting in Seoul and pushed for the relocation of the USFK headquarters. Some opposed the move, viewing the USFK's presence in Yongsan as a symbolic representation of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

Former USFK Commander Vincent Brooks also stated in a lecture invited by the National Unification Advisory Council, "In the case of the USFK headquarters, the main office will remain in Seoul," adding, "It will be located together within the Ministry of National Defense compound where the ROK Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are situated, allowing the military capabilities of the ROK-U.S. alliance to be concentrated in one place."

During the Park Geun-hye administration, at the 46th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in October 2014, it was agreed that even if the Yongsan base relocated to Pyeongtaek, part of the USFK would remain at the Yongsan base.

However, disagreements arose between South Korea and the U.S. regarding the retention of the USFK in Yongsan. There was an attempt to relocate the USFK to the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, instead of the Pyeongtaek base, but differences emerged over the relocation costs. The Korean side argued that while they could cover the costs related to the USFK headquarters' infrastructure, the remodeling expenses should be borne by the U.S. side. Conversely, the U.S. side emphasized that South Korea should cover all costs related to construction, operation, and maintenance of the facilities.

Under the Moon Jae-in administration, former Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok instructed in May 2017, after receiving a report from the Ministry of National Defense, to "completely reconsider the retention of the USFK headquarters at the Yongsan base and explore options to relocate it to the Joint Chiefs of Staff or other locations."

Subsequently, the USFK settled on relocating to the Pyeongtaek base. The USFK plans to hold a ceremony next month to commemorate the completion of the move to Pyeongtaek, marking the end of the Yongsan era and the beginning of the Pyeongtaek era. Approximately 700 USFK personnel from both South Korea and the U.S. began moving earlier this month and plan to complete the relocation by the end of this month. A significant portion of the USFK personnel, facilities, and equipment from the Yongsan base have already been transferred to Pyeongtaek, with the headquarters and communication facilities moving this time.

The Ministry of National Defense emphasized, "The USFK has been a symbol of the ROK-U.S. alliance and the core of the combined defense system, successfully carrying out the defense mission of the Republic of Korea against North Korea's invasion and provocation threats. Through this relocation, the USFK will build a stronger combined defense system based on an enhanced alliance spirit and operational efficiency in Pyeongtaek, the new cradle of the alliance."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.