U.S. modernizing bases in S. Korea
SEOUL, South Korea The U.S. military is in the midst of an $11 billion building boom to modernize its aging bases in South Korea and move most of its troops farther from the heavily fortified border with North Korea.
As the U.S. solidifies plans to keep a strong presence here for decades, officials have described the bases being built in South Korea as the biggest military construction project since the Panama Canal.
About 100 installations scattered around the country are being consolidated into 50 locations, aligned with two major hubs.
The bulk of the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in the country will move about 40 miles south of the Han River and Seoul, the capital, to Camp Humphreys. That will leave South Korean troops in the vanguard of allied defenses close to the Demilitarized Zone, the no-man’s land that has bisected the Korean Peninsula since the Korean War ended in a truce in 1953.
The most visible change will be in Seoul, where the U.S. military will vacate its headquarters inside the Yongsan Garrison, in the heart of the city, and hand over a huge chunk of prized real estate to South Korean officials.
U.S. forces have occupied the site for six decades. As the city has grown up around it, Yongsan’s low-brick walls topped by rusty concertina wire have looked increasingly out of place amid the city’s modern bustle.
The military headquarters personnel are among those moving to Camp Humphreys, which when completed is expected to house 44,000 troops, civilian employees and family members — making it the largest U.S. garrison in Asia.
The base realignment has been delayed repeatedly. It was supposed to be finished by 2008, but the completion date has been pushed back to 2016, and some projects could be postponed beyond that, according to U.S. defense officials.
South Korea is covering most of the estimated $11 billion in construction and relocation costs, in recognition of the extensive security benefits provided to the country by the U.S. military. The South Korean and U.S. governments have been reluctant to release detailed figures, but a report released in April by the Senate Armed Services Committee found that the Pentagon’s share of the costs may come to $3.2 billion.
The expenses are a tall order for both governments, but they pose a particular challenge for the Pentagon, which is grappling with budget cuts.
At the direction of President Barack Obama, the Pentagon has been trying to devote more strategic attention to Asia by bolstering its alliances and military presence in the region.
Last year, the Pentagon spent $2 billion in military personnel costs and $1.1 billion in other expenses to support its forces in South Korea.
No comments:
Post a Comment