Kim Dong-yeon Visits World's Largest Pyeongtaek US Military Base with US Ambassador to Korea... First 'Cooperation Discussion'

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (center) visited Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek on the 13th with Goldberg, the U.S. Ambassador to Korea (left), and took a commemorative photo with Lieutenant General Locamera, the Commander of U.S. Forces Korea.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon visited Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on the 13th along with Philip S. Goldberg, the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, to discuss cooperation measures between Gyeonggi Province and the U.S. Forces Korea.

At Camp Humphreys, Governor Kim met with Paul LaCamera, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Combined Forces Command, and United Nations Command, and Willard Burleson, Commander of the U.S. 8th Army, saying, "Thank you for inviting me to Camp Humphreys, a symbol of the ROK-U.S. alliance," and promised, "Gyeonggi Province will actively support the stable settlement of U.S. forces and their mission execution."

Commander Paul LaCamera expressed gratitude for Gyeonggi Province's continued support while the U.S. Forces Korea maintain combat readiness, emphasizing the strength of the 70-year ROK-U.S. alliance by stating, "We are continuously strengthening relationships with various government agencies and others."

Philip S. Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, evaluated the visit by Governor Kim to Humphreys as significant amid the ongoing development of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

This is the first time that the Governor of Gyeonggi Province and the U.S. Ambassador to Korea have gathered together to discuss cooperative relations.

The meeting was made possible as both sides recognized the need for close cooperation between the province and the U.S. military, following the relocation of the Yongsan U.S. military base to Pyeongtaek, which made Gyeonggi Province the largest U.S. military residential area in South Korea.

Gyeonggi Province is the local government where the largest number of U.S. forces are stationed on the Korean Peninsula, with 80% of the entire U.S. Forces Korea carrying out their missions at Pyeongtaek’s Camp Humphreys, Osan Air Base, and Dongducheon’s Camp Casey.

In particular, Camp Humphreys is the largest overseas U.S. military base in the world. In November last year, the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command relocated here, further enhancing its role in the ROK-U.S. alliance.

Gyeonggi Province is supporting friendly exchanges between local residents in Pyeongtaek and Dongducheon and the U.S. Forces Korea to foster a mutually cooperative relationship between the local community and the U.S. military. Additionally, to ensure the stable settlement of U.S. forces in the local community and to overcome cultural differences, the province is promoting ROK-U.S. cooperative projects related to Korean language, history, and culture.

Meanwhile, this meeting is notable for having originated from a professional baseball game in April.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon invited U.S. Ambassador Goldberg and U.S. 8th Army Commander Burleson to watch the opening game of the professional baseball season held at Suwon KT Wiz Park. At that event, Commander Burleson proposed Governor Kim’s visit to Camp Humphreys.

This is the third meeting between Governor Kim and Ambassador Goldberg. At their first meeting last November, Governor Kim expressed his hope that "Korea and the United States will become an innovation alliance beyond a value alliance," pledging active cooperation and continuing regular meetings. The innovation alliance refers to a cooperative relationship in innovative economies such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

Gyeonggi Province expects that the meetings between Governor Kim Dong-yeon and key U.S. military personnel stationed in Korea this year, marking the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. alliance, will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen the alliance.

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