오산기지2000-04 이시우 2006/05/10 2357

http://kalaniosullivan.com/OsanAB/OsanSongtane.html

2000:

Panoramic View of Songtan (Retired Activities Office)

View of Songtan from Capitol Hotel (1998) (Joe ?)

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Education Osan American Elementary School opened an annex school at Camp Humphreys during SY 99-00 for students in grades Kindergarten to second. Humphreys American Elementary School (HAES) opened with a K-6 for SY 03-04. The teachers of the Art, Music, PE and Culture provide support for OAES and HAES. OAES presently has grades PSCD, Sure Start and grades one through six. Support specialists provide a variety of educational opportunities for students. (Source: Osan American Elementary School)
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Yi Taeyun Stele Returned to Pyeongtaek City On 28 Aug 2000, Brig Gen David Clary, 51st Wing Commander, transferred the Yi Taeyun Stele to the Vice-mayor of Pyeongtaek City, Yi Pil-woon. Afterwards, City Workers moved the Stele to a 14th Century Confucian School at Hangkyo, Bongnam-ri, Chinwi-myeon, Pyeongtaek City along with other monuments. (Source: MIG Flyer, 1 Sep 2000) The official transfer was on 28 Aug 2000. (NOTE: The stele is along the road as one drives up the road in Jinwi.)

The Yi Taeyun Stele was located at Turtle Park. According to the MIG Flyer news article, humorously there were no formal records of the stele’s existence until 1989 on the base — though we see the pictures above of Harry Tezlaf with it in 1965. Supposedly there were no documented records as to how the stele came into the USAF possession. (NOTE: The article related an improbable tale that the stele had been erected by the residents of Che Yok Dong — a village near the Golf Course — in November 1661 as a tribule to the governor. The stele was present when the base was erected in 1952. This is highly improbable.)

More likely, this stele was originally moved to Osan from Palgongsan near Taegu during installation of a communications site. (Source: Osan AB: Conservation.)

The granite monument was erected in approximately 1661 to commemorate a celebrated statesman of the Choson Dynasty. The base of the monument was a fanged turtle, representing long life and guarding against evil from the north. Above this is a monolithic stele inscribed with Chinese characters. The inscription reads, “Sir Yi Taeyun governs well with wisdom and mercy.” Atop this rested two dragons with a sphere between them.

Turtle Monument and Turtle Pond near CE Compound (1965) (Harry Tezlaf)

Turtle Monument Removal (2000) (Pyeontaek Si Sa)
On 5 Aug 2005, we stopped by the Daeseongjeon Jinwi Hanggyo to find the Yi Taeyun Stele. The Confucian Academy Memorial is not a major tourist attraction. We had passed it many times on the way to Yong-in and noted its location near the Moobongsan Youth Camp. However, in tracking down the Yi Tae-yun Stele we decided it was time to stop by.

The grounds are well-taken care of and there is one building with tables and chairs in what appears to be a lecture hall. Above it are the gates to the old Confucian academy.

Down near the entrance, there is a shelter for markers. Outside in the elements, the Yi Taeyun stele has found its resting place in the graveyard for forgotten monuments — sort of like going to an elephant’s graveyard. Kind of sad, but at least it is preserved. The stele looks smaller without the concrete base it stood on while at the base. The site appears to be a monument warehouse for those markers no one knows what to do with. There is no sign or explanation for the Yi Taeyun stele — as it is for all the other markers stored there. It’s just another piece of stone.

(L) Daeseongjeon Jinwi Hanggyo (R) Yi Taeyun Stele with other Monuments (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)

(L) Yi Taeyun Stele Turtle base (R) Yi Taeyun Stele Top of Marker (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)

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Ulchi Focus Lens (2000) (51st FW Historian site)

36th FS F-16 at Suwon during Osan Runway Repair (2000) (Tsgt Patrick McDonald/Wayne Wolf)

36th FS F-16 in Osan Arch (2000) (Tsgt Patrick McDonald/Wayne Wolf)

36th FS F-16 on Osan Flightline (16 Feb 2000) (Tsgt Patrick McDonald/Wayne Wolf)

Osan Dormitories (2000) (Tsgt Patrick McDonald/Wayne Wolf )

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(L) Col. Millet at Bayonet Hill 50th Anniversary (R) Col. Millet honored at VFW Post 10216 (Hill 180 Post) (2000) (VFW Post 10216: Osan AB) (See 1975 for one of Col. Millet’s previous visit.)

Bayonet Hill 50th Anniversary (2000) (51st FW History Office)

Plaque on Hill 180 (1998) (VFW Post 10216: Osan AB)

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Pyeongtaek City “Demands” Return of Land Land was set aside for the relocation of the USFK forces as was negotiated in 1990 under a Memorandum of Understanding with the ROK. However, the ROK failed to provide funding for the move and dragged their feet on the move preferring to have the USFK in Seoul and the maintenance of the status quo. (See Relocation of USFK (2003) for background details.) The bottom line is that the USFK did NOT relocate to Osan as was planned and the 27,000 pyeong of land set aside on Osan AB went unused.

Thus after ten years of the land lying unused, the Pyeongtaek City filed to have the land returned to the city. After much internal hassling, the ROKAF took possesion of the land. (Source: Pyeongtaek City History CD, “Pyeongtaek Si Sa.”) Pyeongtaek City filed a protest, but the ROKAF moved forward with deliberate speed to build a facility on the land. The ROKAF already occupied a significant area within Osan AB and simply incorporated this adjacent land into its domain. When the move from Yongsan Garrison was cancelled, the ROKAF acquired the land. The new AFOC headquarters is located in the expansion area. (Source: RAO: Osan History.)

Thus Osan Air Base is now home to the ROKAF Operations Command (AFOC) and Air Operations Center (AOC) — and Pyeongtaek City is still protesting the issue.

AOC (2002) (Jack Terwiel)

AOC (2002) (Jack Terwiel)

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Osan Runway Closure (May 2000) Osan’s runway closed for repairs 03 May 2000 causing a diversion of most of the base’s flight operations to nearby Suwon Air Base (a Republic of Korea air force installation) until the project was completed 31 May 2000. Osan’s fleet of A-10s, F-16s, U-2s, the Osan Eagle and other aircraft operated out of Suwon, but helicopter operations continued at Osan. The base’s C-12s operated out of nearby Camp Humphreys. Flightline workers commuted back and forth between Osan and Suwon, and about 60 to 70 people were billeted there full-time. Adding Osan’s two flying squadrons to a base that already had a full flying schedule with five flying squadrons of its own really impacted the number of sorties Suwon can support. This caused a reduction in Osan’s flight operations during the month.

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51st Service Squadron Mess Hall wins 2000 John L. Hennessy Trophy As the first food services operation in Korea to compete at Air Force level, the 51st Services Squadron, Osan, set a record when it captured the 2000 John L. Hennessy Trophy for the multi-facility category.

The squadron won the award despite having the two oldest dining facilities in the Air Force inventory. They also dethroned Hurlburt Air Force Base, Fla., reigning two-year champions of the multi-facility category and winner of the single-facility category in 1997.

“It뭩 like winning the Super Bowl of food services,” said Master Sgt. Jimmy Daniels, food services operations chief. “The entire unit is ecstatic about this award.”

Osan뭩 food service was noted for serving more than 1.2 million meals and more than 156,900 flight- and ground-support meals last year. Customer satisfaction was increased by 90 percent through innovative cooking practices. (Source: SeabeeCook.com.)
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Osan Commissary Best Large Commissary Overseas The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) announced that the Commissary at Osan AB was the recipient of the Dan Daniel Award winner for the best large commissary overseas. Three teams from DeCA headquarters visited the 17 nominated stores and evaluated them in six major areas: management, customer service, accountability controls, and their grocery, meat and produce departments.
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Osan American High School Prank The following story was in the Stars and Stripes on Friday, June 23, 2000.

Osan High senior prank leaves odorous legacy
By Jim Lea
Osan bureau chief

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea – Shortly after Osan American High School held its commencement exercise, a handful of youths believed to be members of the Class of 2000 paid the school a clandestine visit and left a messy and smelly legacy.

John S. Provinsal, Osan principal – who has seen many senior pranks in 28 years as an educator – said someone broke into the school between midnight June 12 and 5 a.m. June 13. The cafeteria was vandalized, and fish were placed in the building’s ventilation system.

But, he added, the prank wasn’t nearly as bad as the rumor mill has made it out to be.

“They turned over the cafeteria tables, smeared the walls and windows with ice cream sandwiches, sprayed shaving cream over a wall mural and left several varieties of fish in the vents in the walls,” he said. A few fish also were found on top of removeable ceiling panels and in a few student lockers, he said.

Rumors allege the incident caused “thousands of dollars” in damage and that the school is taking money from travel and other activities funds to pay for the damages.

That, Provinsal said, is “absolutely not true. All we had to do was clean up the mess they left. Our regular cleaning folks cleaned the walls and windows, straightened the furniture, cleaned the shaving cream off the mural and took away the fish. Actually, most of the mess was cleaned up by the time kids got to school that morning and the smell was nearly gone,” he said.

Provinsal also clarified that the entire graduating class in not under suspicion.

“The names of some seniors – about eight – did surface. They’re being questioned by base authorities,” he said. Authorities want to know how the culprits managed to get into the school and cafeteria, which are locked when the school closes for the day.

His assessment is the incident caused “more disappointment than damage.”

“Every piece of artwork in the school was done by students and the fact that the mural in the cafeteria was defaced caused disappointment,” he said. “Even many of the seniors who graduated have expressed disappointment.”

Provinsal said he doesn’t condone pranks, but “my biggest concern is that some of our seniors did this after they were graduated.

“The whole school made a big effort to make graduation pleasant for them,” he said. “Our students were very frustrated by this. The kids don’t understand why these people who are no longer students and are supposed to be adults would come in and do this.”

This year’s graduating class left the school with a good legacy, he said.

“But some of them have turned that into a legacy of disgrace,” he added.

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55th Airlift Flight (ALF) Becomes 55th Expeditionary Airlift Flight (EALF) (Nov 2000)The 55th Airlift Flight (55 ALF), also known as “Double Nickel” or “Nickles,” flies the C-12J passenger aircraft under the 51st FW. Basically, it does a “milk run” around the Korean peninsula and Japan to pick up priority cargo or transport VIP passengers.

In November 2000 Osan AFB’s 55th Airlift Flight completed its first-ever deployment where the C-12J unit supported a joint U.S./U.N. humanitarian aid mission to strife-torn East Timor. Operating for 125 days from Royal Australian Air Force Base, Darwin, Australia, four members of the flight and two Raytheon maintenance contractors formed the 55th Expeditionary Airlift Flight. The 55th EALF ferried passengers and supplies for US Support Group East Timor (USGET) on the nearly daily four-hour round-trip flights between Darwin and the austere Komoro airfield at Dili, East Timor. (Source: GlobalSecurity.org: C-12J.)

The C-12J aircraft is the military version of the Raytheon Beech 1900C. Developed from the Super King Air business twin turboprop, the 19-seat Beech 1900C Airliner was first flown in September 1982 and entered service in early 1984. With its Pratt and Whitney PT6A-65B engines, it has a cruise speed of 268 knots with a certified ceiling of 25,000 feet and a range of 1,555 miles. Since its introduction in 1984, Raytheon Aircraft’s Beech 1900C Airliner has been known as “the workhorse of the sky.” The Beech 1900C consistently earns high marks for its large-airliner styling and passenger comfort. A later version of the Beech 99, the model 1900 is recognized as the favoured tier-3 aircraft. It is passenger friendly, highly reliable, and much appreciated by both maintenance and aircrews alike. A total of 250 1900Cs were delivered between 1984 and 1991 to regional airlines, special mission operators and corporations. Production then switched entirely to the current version, dubbed the 1900D, which has a taller cabin. Some commentators suggest that the Beech 1900C had some defects, and that to rectify these shortcomings while improving on the technical aspects, Raytheon went on to manufacture Beech 1900D, the most popular 19-seater aircraft in the world. (Source: GlobalSecurity.org.)

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ROK Developments The economic crisis worsened. Bankrupt.com had a synopsis of the financial problems with the businesses in 2000. (See link for 2000 news articles):

ALZZAMART.COM: To suspend operations
ANAM SEMICONDUCTOR: Cho Hung Bank to sell stake:
DAEWOO CORP: Excluded from top 30 groups
DAEWOO GROUP: Former head, 20 execs to face indictment
DAEWOO GROUP: Gov’t reaches agmt with foreign creditors
EUGENE TOUR: To be removed from workout program
HYUNDAI BUS.GROUP: Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI CAPITAL: Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI CORP.: Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI DEVELOP.CORP.: Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI ELECTRONICS: Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI ENGIN.& CONST.: Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI GROUP: Subsidiaries can’t pay debts
HYUNDAI MOTOR : Bond rating downgraded
HYUNDAI PRECISION IND.: Bond rating downgraded
KANGWON INDUSTRIES: To be removed from workout program
LG GROUP: Subsidiaries can’t pay debts
SAMSUNG GROUP: Subsidiaries can’t pay debts

In addition to the worsening economic crisis, the stabilized Kim Jong-il regime and the Kim Dae-jung’s unceasing offers to dialogue, as well as pressure from China, brought some radical changes in 2000. Kim Jong-il paid a surprise visit to the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang on March 5, 2000. Kim Dae-jung offered to help the North in his speech at the Free University of Berlin, Germany, on March 9. On April 10, the North and South announced that a summit meeting of the two leaders was to be held in Pyongyang in June. Shortly before the summit, Kim Jong-il paid a visit to China and conferred with the Chinese leadership. Kim Jong-il surprised the world with his warm reception to his arch-enemy from the South. The summit meeting was concluded with the “North-South joint declaration” of June 15, reconfirming the desire to unify Korea. Nevertheless, the expected breakthrough did not come about. Since then, a few high-level meetings took place and only 200 families from each side were allowed for a brief reunion with their families in the South or North. (Source: Asia Times, The Korean peninsula’s imperfect past, Mark B M Suh.)
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Kia export car facility at Pyongtaek Harbor Opens in 2000. (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

Pyeontaek Harbor car export facility. (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

Pyeontaek Harbor first car export. (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)
A direct route between Pyeongtaek Port and Chengdao Port was established in October 2000. In Nov 2000 the inauguration of the regular international line to Chengdao, China from Pyeongtaek Harbor was held.

A delegation of Pyongtaek City, Kyonggi Province, composed of 7 and led by the mayor Kim, Sun Ki, visited cities in China from April 25 to May 2, 2000 to discuss the possibility of opening sea route to port cities. Last year, Pyongtaek city and Rongcheng city in China agreed to open sea route. As a result of active promotion this year, Dalian and Lianyungang city have agreed and exchanged the letter of intent to open sea routes. Both cities also agreed to enhance international cooperation for the mutual benefits. Based on the fruitful result of this visit, the city hopes to develop it as the hub of distribution and trade in the Southeast Asia in the 21st century. For the long term development of the city, the city government has set up plan to promote in 14 port Cities in China. Meanwhile, Kyonggi Province and Pyongtaek city plans to establish Free Trade Zone to develop the Pyongtaek port as the hub of distribution in the 21st century. (Source: KLAFIR Local News)

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Pyeongtaek Seohae West Coast Highway Bridge Opens The Seohae Grand Bridge, South Korea’s longest crossing, features a 470 m center span that is the longest in the country. Construction of the pylons began in mid-1998 after completion of the cofferdams and the solid-footing foundation. The bridge superstructure was opened to traffic in November 2000.

At 9.4 km, the Seohae Grand Bridge now stands as the longest bridge in South Korea. Rising above the Asan Bay approximately 65 km south of Seoul, the cable-stayed bridge, which took seven years to construct, runs from P’y_ongt’aek on the north side of the bay to Dangjin on the south. The bridge incorporates pistonlike lock-up devices (LUDs) that allow movement in response to temperature changes, creep, and shrinkage but resist such dynamic loads as aerodynamic motions and earthquakes. These devices are of critical importance, because a primary design challenge for the Seohae Grand Bridge was its location in an area of high winds.

Pyeontaek Bridge Opens (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)
The crossing consists of several kilometers of concrete box girder spans and the main bridge, which is 990 m long. The main bridge consists of an 870 m long cable-stayed structure and two 60 m long end spans of simply supported composite girders. The cable-stayed portion has three spans-a 470 m center span and two 200 m side spans. The center span provides a 62 m high navigation channel above the bay.

There are six traffic lanes, three in each direction. Together with a 3 m outside shoulder, a 1.2 m inside shoulder, and a 0.8 m median barrier, the roadway width between the inside faces of the outside barriers is 31 m. The centerlines of the cables are placed at a distance of 1.6 m from the inside face of the outside barrier, making the center-to-center distance between the two planes of cables 34 m.

Pyeontaek Bridge Opening Ceremony (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)
T.Y. Lin International, of San Francisco, performed the detailed design of the main bridge and also provided construction services, including superstructure erection stage analysis, design of special construction equipment, and field assistance. (Source: EgyptEng.com)

Pyeontaek Bridge (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

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2001:

Korean National College of Rehabilitation and Welfare (2001) (Curly Knepp)
Handicap Rehabilitation and Training Center
Located about 15 minutes from base by car on Route 340

Songtan Street Vendor (2001)

Songtan Open Market (2001)

Songtan Shinjang Shopping Mall (2001)

Outside Main Gate Shinjang Shopping Mall (2001) (Curly Knepp)

Shinjang Shopping Mall area (2001) (Curly Knepp)

Shinjang Shopping Mall area (2001) (Curly Knepp)

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Education

On 7 Jul 1998, the Taegwang High School had 12 normal calsses and 12 business/office automation classes. These would be roughly equivalent to the U.S. college-prep classes and vocational training classes for those not intending to go on to college. However, the face of education was changing and by 10 Jul 2001, there were 12 normal classes and 12 business/office automation classes, with 6 internet infromation and communication classes. The computer classes was part of the Information Technology (IT) drive by the Korean government started in 1990 that had made Korea into one of the highest level countries in computer literacy.

However, Korea was also experiencing declining enrollment as reflected by the smaller graduating classes. On 14 Feb 2003, 339 students graduated from Taegwang High School. Declining student populations was a reflection of the national trend to have smaller family sizes — with the rate at 1.4 per family, a distressing number as it reflects a “non-viable” society in the future that would bring about changes in tax-bases, school closures, apartment construction, industrial growth and military strength decreases.
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Biggest one-day snowfall in 32 years (Feb 2005) According to the Stars and Stripes on 1 Feb 2001: “The heaviest single-day snowfall in 32 years blanketed the northern half of South Korea on Thursday, leaving thousands of air passengers stranded, creating huge traffic jams and closing schools and other facilities at some U.S. military bases. Snow began falling at 5 a.m. in Seoul, a spokesman for the Korea Meteorological Administration said. By 6 p.m., 10 inches had fallen, breaking a record set in February 1969, he said. Chunchon, 50 miles northeast of the capital, received 11 inches during the same period. Tongduchon, 20 miles north, received 8 inches, the spokesman said. The U.S. Army뭩 Camp Page is in Chunchon and camps Casey and Hovey are in Tongduchon. About 6 inches of snow fell at Suwon, south of the capital, and Wonju, southeast of Seoul. U.S. troops are stationed at Suwon Air Base and camps Long and Eagle are at Wonju. Road Condition Black, meaning no traffic could move on post, was in effect at Long and Eagle for several hours Thursday afternoon. … Bob Warner, a Camp Humphreys spokesman, said rain fell there early in the day and streets iced over quickly. About 2 inches of snow fell in the afternoon. Buses were not running on post and civilian employees were sent home at 3 p.m., he said. Master Sgt. John Norgren, a 51st Fighter Wing spokesman at Osan Air Base, said a mixture of rain and snow amounting to nearly 3 inches of precipitation fell at the base during the day. Osan is in the midst of a weeklong training exercise and base officials paused the drill for about six hours in the late afternoon because of weather.”
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631st AMSS becomes 731st AMS The roots of the 731st Air Mobility Squadron can be traced back to 1953, when the unit was assigned to support Military Air Transport Service (MATS) at Kimpo Airport, Seoul, Korea. In July 1964, it was designated as Detachment 5 of the 1503d Air Transportation Group organized at Tachikawa AB, Japan, as a subordinate of the 1502nd Air Transportation Wing, Heavy, located at Hickam AFB Hawaii.

With the conversion of MATS to the Military Airlift Command (MAC) and the establishment of 22d Air Force at Travis AFB, CA in early 1966, Detachment 5 kept its name but became a subordinate unit of the 65th Military Airlift Wing (MAW) re-designated of the 1503d Group and the 1502d Wing. When the 61 MAW became a Military Airlift Support Wing (MASW) at the end of 1969, Detachment 5 at Kimpo became the 611th Military Airlift Support Squadron, a subordinate of the 65 MASG, which was moved to Yokota AB, Japan.

On 15 January 1975, the 611th was moved to Osan AB, Korea. On 1 January 1972, it became a direct reporting unit under the 61 MASW upon deactivation of the 65 MASG. In October 1978, for reasons of geographical proximity, the 611 MASS became a subordinate of the newly established 316th Tactical Airlift Group (TAG) at Yokota AB. It was the only one of the four MASSs in the Pacific not to be aligned under the also newly established 834th Air Lift Division (ALD) located at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. On 1 November 1983, the 611th realigned under the 834 ALD, where it remained until 1 April 1992, at which time the 834 ALD was deactivated. The 611th would then report directly to Headquarters, 22nd Air Force at Travis AFB California. On 1 June 1992, when the Military Airlift Command reorganized and became the Air Mobility Command, the 611th was re-designated as the 611th Air Lift Support Squadron and placed under the 603d Air Lift Support Group at Kadena AB. At this same time, the 611th Aerial Port Squadron was deactivated.

On 1 July 1994 the 611th was re-designated as the 631st Air Mobility Support Squadron. With this name change came the realignment of the unit under the 615th Air Mobility Support Group tying us once again to Hickam AFB, Hawaii as it was in the beginning, over 40 years ago…

On 15 Mar 2001, the 631st was re-designated as the 731st Air Mobility Squadron. Along with this change, the 615th changed it’s name to the 715th Air Mobility Operations Group. (Source: Osan AB Public Affairs)
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“Unjust” SOFA Protests in front of Main Gate (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

“Unjust” SOFA Protests in front of Main Gate (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (NOTE: The “yoke” represent the ancient Korean stocks that Korean prisoners were locked into symbolizing how Pyeongtaek was being chained by the SOFA.) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)
Activists Protest “Unjust” SOFA at Songtan The SOFA reopened for renegotiation in 2000 and the negotiations dragged on into 2001. In 2001 throughout Korea, the NGO activists protested the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) over cost-sharing, criminal prosecution, worker compensation and environmental issues. By and large, the ROK populace believed the SOFA was unjust — though the activists continued to downplay the fact that the ROK did NOT pay for their defense “share” prior to 1991 when the first negotiations took place since the SOFA took effect in 1963. The ROK activists complained bitterly over the increases in the “cost share” for the ROK stating that the Americans were in Korea for their national interests so why should the ROK pay. Anti-American sentiment was rampant.

In 2001, the Americans were most likely to concede custody of personnel to the Koreans for some major offenses, but would negotiate for having minor offenses turned over to American control. This was a major stumbling block.

In addition, environmental protection and Korean-national worker retirement issues were discussed. The Korean retirement issue was brought up as the USFK switched to “temp” NAF employees versus full-time Korean workers. As they retire, they are not being replaced. (NOTE: The retirement system for the Koreans are that they are paid their retirement as part of their paycheck. Thus when they retire, they receive no benefits. “Temp” workers on the other hand receive no retirement pay differentials. This would resurface in 2005 when the ROK refused to increase its share. These “temp” workers were the first to be released.)

However, the Koreans used the same ploy as the Filipinos over Subic Bay and tried to get the U.S. to pay for cleanup over “past wrongs” — even though it was not “wrong” at the time. (NOTE: Under the SOFA, bases/camps would be returned to the ROK “as is” — without cleanup.) This was a very touchy issue and negotiations continued in this area. It should be noted that the Koreans had some horrendous environmental problems with massive dumping — including government coverups of dumping of toxic waste into the major rivers. If the U.S. accepted anything that could be construed as the U.S. “fault” for environmental pollution, it would open up a Pandora’s box of problems. (NOTE: The US would later concede that it would work with ROK environmental authorities to ensure that bases were “cleaned up” prior to return to ROK control under the pending Land Partnership Program (LPP). The partnership appeared to have positive results as there were no major difficulties reported in returning camps in 2004-2005.)

As to increasing the cost-share under the SOFA, the Koreans didn’t have much excuse for poor-mouthing as they were well-down the road to IMF recovery. (NOTE: It should also be noted that after IMF Recovery took effect, the ROK failed to implement some of the major agreed-upon changes to limit the chaebols (conglomerates) as promised when they accepted the bailout.) As a sign of their economic recovery, the ambitious military hardware upgrade plans started in 1990 but shelved for the IMF crisis were resurfaced. Korea’s defense budget for 2001 had been set at 15.37 trillion won ($13.9 billion), an increase of 6.5 percent from 2000. Arms procurement (33.9 percent of the total budget). In October 2000, the Korea Herald reported that despite the cut in the arms procurement budget, existing or planned projects would go on without a hitch. The funds for key arms procurement projects increased by about 9.4 percent. (NOTE: This all turned out to be eyewash. ROK promises to increase their defense spending to 3.2 percent of GDP never materialized and instead only increased to 2.8 percent of GDP. By 2005, the defense upgrade program was a shambles. The funding of defense upgrade programs were being “reprioritized” that left some upgrade programs unfunded. The Patriot PAC-3 (SAM-X program) was on order, but unfunded. The AWACS program completed the bid process, but the MND in 2005 wanted to start over. The next-generation helicopter upgrades were in limbo or cancelled. But most significantly, the ROK refused to increase its “cost share” which had been negotiated at length under the SOFA. Only the F-15K fighters had been resolved, but only after the MND changed the rules so that the better performing French Rafael was eliminated. The ROK cruisers were on-track, but not until it had some well-deserved fiascos with procuring incompatible weapons systems.)

Anti-War activist the Rev. Mun Chon-Hyun, a Catholic priest from Kunsan, led the anti-American demonstrations in 2001-2002. The following is an interview (date unknown) from Argus with the Rev Mun to give you some insight into his causes of anti-war and SOFA revision:

Interview With Mun Jung-hyeon of People’s Action for Reform of Unjust ROK-US SOFA Agreement

SOFA, Undermining Korean Law and Order

A short time ago, the Department of National Defense received a document, which was drawn up by the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea (USFK). It was a request to borrow some facilities at the new airport in Inchon for military purposes. But, they are already using a part of Kimpo International airport for this purpose and now they are requesting more facilities for their convenience. These kinds of actions are based on the ROK-US SOFA (Status Of Forces Agreement). So, many people are ashamed of the agreement believing it represents an unjust relationship with USFK.

The SOFA is an agreement that positions the lawful status of the USFK. According to international law, foreign forces generally abide by the law of the country in which they are stationed. An exception can be made only when the foreign forces have to perform a special duty in a country under a mutual agreement between two countries according to international law. However, SOFA as agreed between the ROK and the US shouldn’t go further than just making certain accommodations to the U.S. Army; the current agreement practically forfeits the sovereignty of Korea.

Hong Sun-young, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has made it clear to a revision to the unfair SOFA agreement must be made step by step. Many civic organizations, however, look at the gradual revision suspiciously with doubtful eyes as the authorities put on airs. The Ministry has already undertaken the gradual revision of SOFA in 1991, but nothing has changed. So, 127 civic organizations stand united in calling for an overall revision of the ROK-US SOFA because the government has persistently let them down. The Argus met Mun Jeong-hyun, a standing delegate of People’s Action for Reform of the Unjust ROK-US SOFA Agreement, on his street where he was demonstrating in the direction of the American Embassy.

Reporter: You have participated in a movement for revision of the unjust SOFA. What is the significance of this movement?

Mun: If you look at the agreement, USFK should stay to protector the weak S.K. against the enemy. South Korea, however, now has been increasing its own defense capability and now has the power to defend itself. Nevertheless, there has been no change in the Status of Forces Agreement for the past 50 years. Meanwhile, the number of crimes committed by U.S. soldiers increase by the week. The environmental pollution around the camps has intensified and of course there is no such regulation restricting such actions in SOFA. All we hope is to hold a meeting between Korea and USFK to revise SOFA, an unfair agreement. If our government only shows benevolence this time, we won’t even be able to recover our lost sovereignty. And, foreign military forces must withdraw from every country. The USFK is no exception. We know that foreign forces are sacrificing their lives and bearing all costs, except in a few exceptional cases perhaps. We only know of the inequality and injustice committed by foreign forces. Therefore, the USFK should agree to withdraw from this land unless they agree to revise SOFA completely.

Rev. Mun at Seoul (Dec 02)
(Click on image to enlarge)
(From Tongil.news)
R: What are some particular problems caused by the USFK?

M: There have been too many problems for them who are protected by SOFA. First, they haven’t paid for using the facilities, the ground forces, nor the taxes on the import of goods from abroad. It violates the international law. Our sovereignty has been infringed on. Secondly, the agreement doesn’t contain any provision concerning environmental pollution around the camps. Camp Kunsan is a case in point. The West Sea suffered fatigue due to excessive waste from the camp. Many people also complained of pain as a result of loud explosions from U.S. air-force bombing runs. Finally, they don’t have lawful responsibility in Korea even though they commit crimes as serious as murder. Under SOFA, the suspect was sent to their home country. But, most of them are released on account of insufficient evidence. This is the reason to crime has increased among U.S. soldiers. (NOTE: The environmental complaint is valid. Kunsan AB dumps its untreated waste directly into the West Sea — though waste treatment improvements were underway in 2004. The US has stopped using the Kooni Range because of NGO activist protests and switched live-fire operations to Chogi-do off the coast of Kunsan. The lack of “lawful responsibility” by USFK soldiers is hype to stir up the populace.)

R: We know that no one could have a meeting within 100 meters of the Embassy by law. Didn’t you have any problems during the meeting of ‘People’s Action for Reform of Unjust ROK-US Agreement’?

M: Of course. In spite of the fact that the law is a bad law, we had to stage the rally 100m away from the American Embassy. The result, however, was only a containment tactic on the part of the Korean police. The reason for this action was to curry favor with America. At last, the meeting was closed briefly. We thought that more attention against the unreasonable actions of the Korean government was needed actually.

R: Would you tell me about what you think the preferable revisions to SOFA are?

M: There are several provisions in need of revision: ▲ A complete guarantee of the Korean government’s jurisdiction concerning criminal investigations and the execution of sentences. ▲ Establishing terms for claims on damage incurred by U.S. soldiers. ▲ Contracting a lease between ROK and the U.S. and collecting fees for using military camps. ▲ Establishing human rights and labor rights of Korean laborers working in the U.S. camps. ▲ Providing preventive measures against smuggling and illegal outflow from the U.S. military post exchange. ▲ A revised law must include other measures abolishing special privileges of the USFK. These are the minimal requirements and demands necessary to reclaim our nation’s sovereignty.

R: . Do you have any other plans for revising the unjust agreement?

M: Every country in which the USFK is stationed, has SOFA. So, we held meetings with Japanese and Filipino people committed to overthrowing the unjust SOFA. And, we are pushing for international solidarity against the unfair foreign policy of the U.S. Government. They should agree to the revision of the unjust SOFA ad pay for damages caused by U.S. Forces in foreign lands.

By Jeon Kyu-m

——————————————————————————–

Map of Shinjang Mall (2000)

Review of Songtan Bar Life The following is a “e-opinion” review of Songtan by J.W. Cummings. He gave Songtan a “Five-Star” rating, but this was in 2000. It was written in two parts: shopping & eating; and the nightlife. The four part travelogue was written between 24 May – 30 May 2000. His description of Songtan is well-written and very informative. Though his description was written for Songtan shopping in 2000, it is timeless meaning it was true for the 1980s and 1990s and now it continued on into the 2000s. The copyright problem was unresolved — in that people were warned that the postal inspectors could confiscate and imprison one. However, unless one used the APO postal system for profit or sent large quantities of these contraband items in one box — like waving a red flag in front of the postal inspectors — normally it was not bothered with. If you get flagrant, you will be prosecuted. In May 2005, an Osan airman was found guilty in a sports jersey resale scheme. The 20-year-old airman who disobeyed orders to quit buying sports jerseys in South Korea and reselling them at a profit using the internet to offer the items for sale and then shipping the items via the US Military Postal system. He was sentenced to a fine, jail time and a bad conduct discharge from the Air Force.

(SITE NOTE: Mr. Cummings is from Manchester, NH and was out of the USAF with a young son in 2000. However, we do not know how to contact him to ask for permission to use his materials. If anyone knows, please contact us.)

The following is the first of four parts found at Shopping in Korea (Songtan Area):

Shopping in Korea (Songtan Area)
Pros

No copyright laws

Cons

no such thing as unlimited income

Well, I felt obliged to write this opinion on South Korea. I am in the Air Force and I have been stationed here for the past twelve months. In the past twelve months, I have seen so much of South Korea that any civilian could see. In Fact, civilians that are not here because of dependant status with a military member can actually go to more places.

I am stationed at Osan AB which is about one hour south of Seoul. The City of Songtan is the actual location, Osan City is about twenty minutes away on the other side of Pyongtaek. A lot of military members make the pilgrammage to here for the incredible shopping and nightlife scene. So where do I start? How about where you will spend the most money – shopping.

The first thing you will hear as you enter the main strip of the shopping area is “Blanket, you want Blanket?” You will probably never see so much mink in your life and you can get mink blankets and robes in any color pattern with any animal, sports team, college your heart desires. The blankets normally sell for $20, but I’ve talked them down to $10. The trick is be their first customer about four days before military payday. This is the day everyone is short of money and they can’t float a check because it will only stay out about three days.

The next thing you will notice is Leather, lots and lots of Leather. High quality leather that will be furnished into a coat, duster, pants, or anything else you want and will be tailored to your body. Made especially for you. This goes for cowboy boots too. Oh, and as far as the boots go – alligator, python, ostrich … all those really expensive ones in the states sell for about $200 over here.

The tailoring doesn’t just stop at leather. There are so many clothing tailors up and down the strip it will blow you mind. I recommend Mr Oh’s. He is the first one you come to as you enter the Shinjang Shopping Center (the main drag) on the right. Any design, any material, any color – two weeks. And if you go to Mr. Yu’s Shoes down the street from him and tell him you had something made at Mr. Oh’s, Mr. Yu will give you a discount on shoes to match your new outfit. Pretty cool.

A very cool thing that I had never seen before until I got here was a rice necklace. When I took mid-tour to go home for the birth of my daughter (I love you Morgan!! Thanks Angie), we saw a mall selling them for above five dollars and it was just your name on the rice. The rice necklaces here have your name in English on one side of the rice and in Korean (Hongul) on the other. It is then placed in a tube of any color you want, on any size rope you want, and if you want to put your kid’s names or sweetheart’s name on another rice you can. Mine has my kids’ names and my name in it. Oh, and it only costs $2.

Next, is the blatant disregard the Koreans have for Copyright laws. This isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t matter what it is you want: Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, Gucci – they have it. I sent my mother a Coach purse for Mother’s day. NHL jerseys that would normally cost $80 dollars and up stateside are $12 at Mr Joe’s. This is the only place I buy my jerseys at. Everywhere else they make them themselves and have defects. Mr Joe gets his sweaters straight from Pro Player and Starter and is the only one who gets the home, away, and third jerseys. He also has an incredible stock of FUBU, NFL, NHL, and NBA apparel. For you NASCAR fans, Lee’s Racing Shop is the place for you. All those nice Authentic Jackets the driver’s wear that cost upwards of $500 stateside are $80 dollars here. And they can do any driver. Unfortunately, that means there might be more Rainbow Warrior apparel going stateside. For all of you Rodeo fans, they have a full line of PBR merchandise that will knock your socks off and still leave money in your wallet.

Want to make your office look better than your boss’? Take a look in all the little stores in between the copyright infringing businesses. Nameplates, clocks, plagues, statues, knick-knacks, chessboards…you can make yourself look like the CEO even though they pay you like you work in the mailroom.

In short, Songtan is the world’s largest flea market. After all of this shopping you are going to be hungry. Look for my food reviews, that will give you a tour of the best places to eat. Anyo (Good bye) and Come sum ni da (Thank you).
Then he continued with his review of the eating in Songtan. The won rate has gone up and down over the years falling as low as 700 won: $1 which brought on a lot of hardship not only to the GIs, but also to the businesses outside the gate. The following is the second of four parts found at Bulkoki, Kim Chi, Kalbi…take your pick:

Bulkoki, Kim Chi, Kalbi…take your pick
Pros

So many restaurants

Cons

No chopstick lessons given

As promised in my 밪hopping in Korea?review, here is my review of places that are great places to eat while in Songtan. But here is my tip on how to save money. When you buy merchandise, use dollars. When dining or clubbing, use Korean Won. The Money Exchange outside the Main Gate to the base (which is also conveniently located next to the entrance to the Shinjang Shopping Center) gives the best exchange rate. The exchange rate is usually between 1100 and 1300 WON: $1.

There are almost as many restaurants in this town as there are Nightclubs and Blanket shops. This is a good thing because you will NEVER get bored with the choices. They do have American food as well; the Burger King is decorated with Vintage 1940뭩, 50뭩, and 60뭩 d?or. The Chicken Sandwich meal (4000 WON) is actually cheaper than the Whopper meal (4500 WON). Across the street is an even better fast food restaurant, Lotteria. Their 밄ig and Best?burger is the best fast food burger I have ever had. They also have a Bulgogi Burger (Korean Barbecue) that is out of this world. The Teriyaki Burger is pretty good too. They have their own version of the McRib that is so much better, Kalbi Sandwich. Stay away from the Rice Burger; it뭩 a Whopper between two rice cakes. Not exactly a good combination. A few shops down is Classic Fried Chicken. This place could put KFC out of business if they ever went International. I recommend everything there. Koreans have mastered the art of Fried Chicken. There is even a Domino뭩 but be careful what you order. Their pizza toppings are a little different than American.

If you want pizza, I recommend Pizza Club. Pizza Club has by far the best pizza. I recommend the Bulgogi Pizza or the Hot Pizza. The Bulgogi Pizza has Korean BBQ뭗 Beef. The Hot Pizza has Bulgogi, hot peppers, and all kinds of spices. It is absolutely fantastic. Oh, and don뭪 forget to get the Garlic Bread.

But, let뭩 not forget you are in Korea. If you wanted American food, you probably would have stayed in Korea. The first place that is a must stop is Sam Il Bulkoki House. Walk down the Shinjang Shopping Center; take your third right, then your first right. It will be on your left. It is a traditional Korean Bulkoki Restaurant. This means you have to take your shoes off at the door (make sure your socks are clean!) You will be sitting down on a pillow to eat. I recommend getting the Kalbi. Menu price is 10000 WON and worth every bit. Kalbi is Korean BBQ ribs. The ribs are cooking right at your table on grills built into the table. It is absolutely fantastic. There will be about twelve sides that are put in front of you as well as a bowl of rice and a bowl of seaweed soup. Here is the thing though. All in your party will be eating from the same side dishes. You뭠l get used to it. There will also be a plate heaping with lettuce leaves. Here are directions on how to eat Bulkoki (this will work for all types of Kalbi, Beef, Pork, Chicken that is cooked Bulkoki style):

Take one of the lettuce leaves and lay flat in the palm of your recessive hand. Using chopsticks, take a couple of cooked pieces off of the grill and dip in marinade dish. Place in center of leaf. Take a couple of bean sprouts and other vegetables (from the side dishes) and place on top. There will be a dish that contains a red substance that looks like chili puree; this is red bean paste. This condiment is almost as much of a staple as Kim Chi here. Dip your chopsticks into the paste and then spread the paste onto your leaf contents. Fold the sides of leaf around contents snugly (don뭪 do it too tight, the leaf will break and you뭠l be wearing your Bulkoki). Place the entire thing in your mouth. Do not try to bite a piece of the bundle off; this is another way you뭠l be adorned with food. I heavily recommend trying the kim chi. The best is the cucumber; the radish kim chi will give you a major gas problem which is not prudent with the club scene. DO NOT get rice in the kim chi!!!! This is a very bad thing to the Koreans. Another thing you can do is put some of the rice on your spoon and dip in your soup (without dumping the rice to the bottom. Rice brings out incredible flavor from the soup.

Other good Bulkoki houses are the Pine Tree (from Main gate of base take left, it will be on right about 100 feet on the second floor) and Bulkoki House (kitty corner from front door of New Town Hotel). Kalbi is the most expensive Bulkoki, other types range from 6000 to 8000 WON.

Blue Opera is another favorite restaurant of mine. It is on the Main Strip of the Shinjang, you can뭪 miss it. It has a huge gothic motif with a giant white gargoyle protruding from the front. They have incredible coffee here (from what my friends tell me, I can뭪 have coffee). I love their hot chocolate and teas. The tables have little buttons on them. Ring the button for service. It is a very relaxing atmosphere. Excellent service is definitely an asset here and the variety of food is outstanding. I recommend everything on the menu. Really. Menu prices range from 4000 WON to 12000 WON.

Another restaurant that is similar to Blue Opera is Classy. Classy is located on Arragon Alley (first alley on left after you enter Shinjang). Classy will be on the left. Ask to sit upstairs, the seating up there is incredibly comfy. The best dishes to order are Bib Bim Bop (6000 WON) or Spicy Octopus (16000 WON). The latter is pretty self-explanatory. Bib Bim Bop is an incredible dish. The bowl contents have a base of rice. On top of the rice are beef, sprouts, lettuce, and a few other vegetables. There will also be a fried egg sitting on top and a helping of the red bean paste too. Using your chopsticks and spoon tear the egg into as many pieces as you can. Mix everything in the bowl; make sure you mix the red bean paste all over everything. You can use both your chopsticks and spoon to eat. For an appetizer, I heavily recommend the boiled wantons. Incredible dipping sauce comes with it.

There is also a Chinese restaurant above Burger King, the Golden Gate restaurant above the nightclub that has the best Meatball sub in the world (5000 WON), and a Cajun Restaurant called Mardi Gras right outside the gate on the left on the Second Floor. There is a Filipino restaurant directly outside the door of the New Town Hotel.

Hope you enjoy these restaurants, they are the best in the town. Look for my review of the nightlife, coming soon. Oh, and there will be one more review to this series after that. Here뭩 a hint: Yaki Mandu, Chicken on a Stick, and Mrs. Kim Burgers. Anyo and Come Sum Ni Da.
This account of the nightlife was written in May 2000 long before 9/11 with the hysteria over terrorist attacks to the military and the enforcement of force protection rules — ie, ID card checks and the no-backpack rule. Then there was the sex scandals of Jul 2002 where the USFK Town Patrols were accused by FOX TV of abetting human trafficking in the bars of Songtan and Uijongbu — drawing unwanted and unjustified condemnation to military forces. The the 51st Wing commander made “bar-fining” illegal and punishable under Article 92 (failure to obey a general order) because it gave the “impression” of solicitation for prostitution. Then followed the “morality campaigns” of the USFK and the ROK clampdowns on prostitution in 2003. In 2004, the Russian “juicy girls” were evicted from Korea — though the Filipinas remained. Then came the “curfew wars” of 2005 that culminated in the civilians demanding “back pay” because they were restricted to their houses by the curfew. Even though the curfew as applied to them was removed, a union suit was initiated dealing with the “back pay.” This review of Songtan details the “fun days” of Songtan — though it was getting very expensive. The following is the third of four parts found at Waiting on Sundown for Songtan Nights:

Waiting on Sundown for Songtan Nights
Pros

Lots and lots of clubs and variety to check out

Cons

Pushy old women trying to get you to buy drinks

Now that I have told you where and how to shop and where and how to eat in Songtan, are you ready for the nightlife? You have food in your belly, you뭨e dressed to a T, and it is time to experience a nightlife that is deserving of every adjective between pathetic and thrilling. Before you say that doesn뭪 make any sense, let me explain. I am a DJ at one of the clubs downtown and see a lot of things that are just?well, let뭩 say crudely humorous yet completely entertaining.

The main drinks downtown are OB Lager (Korean Beer that is preserved with formaldehyde), and SoJu (basically potato moonshine) based drinks. SoJu is the national drink. This stuff tastes like Diesel fuel by itself but takes on the flavor of whatever it is mixed with. It is also has an unregulated alcohol content. You can drink three or four SoJu drinks and not feel anything, then drink one and get knocked on your butt. And you thought New Hampshire was Live Free or Die! The main drinks for SoJu are Cherry, Lemon, or Grape SoJu뭩 (mix the Kool-Aid Flavor with SoJu and 7Up); White Dog (SoJu, Yogurt, 7Up, and Vodka); Rice Wine; and Korean Wine. Each bar also has its own Novelty drinks.

Most of the bars here in Korea have what are called Juicy Girls. In some clubs they just sit with you or play pool with you; in others, they dance very scantily clad, put on various types of shows (you뭠l never drink beer the same way again), but all are doing the job for a disgustingly low salary. They are contracted from Russia, Philippines, Malaysia, Nepal, and various places in Korea just to name a few. Some actually enjoy doing it, some are paying off debts that were incurred by themselves or their family. When you go into the clubs that have the dancing girls, you will notice some things. First off, if the girl is generously proportioned in the abdominal area, hips, or legs: she뭩 paying a debt. If she is Korean and is top heavy, they are fake or she has a mixed bloodline. If the dancer is wearing a one piece, she had a baby or has stretch marks. If she isn뭪 wearing a thong, it뭩 a female thing.

So, here is where the pathetic part comes in. Most guys get upset when a regular female patron asked them to spend 2500 WON on a beer. Yet, the drinks that these same guys are buying for the Juicy girls (who they have even less of a chance of going home with than the female patron) are anywhere from 6000 WON to 10000 WON. AND THESE GUYS BUY THEM! Oh, and most of the time, all the drink has in it is Orange Juice. Hence the term, Juicy Girl. Now don뭪 be fooled by thinking that the bars that don뭪 have dancing girls don뭪 have Juicies. They all do.

The really funny thing is what is called ticketing or Bar-Fining. This is where a male patron pays the club that a certain Juicy Girl works at $100/hr or $200/night (Sunday ?Thursday) or $300/night (Friday ?Saturday) to take her out. She is basically an escort. On top of this cost, you have to pay for everything for her that night as well. Every night, I see at least twenty bar-fines walking around downtown. Granted these girls only get two nights off a month. But꿲ost of these girls have boyfriends already or are married.

Want to find out which ones have boyfriends/husbands/lovers? Sit up in the windows of the Dragon Club, Hurricane, Roxy, Golden Butterfly, or My House Up (Rodeo Club) between 1700 and 2000. This is the best view to watch what is called the Juicy Parade. This is where all the girls walk to work with their boyfriends/husbands/lovers and then about 2000 is when you see the customers show up. This parade is where most people뭩 nights start out. But when the sun goes down, the Strip takes on an almost Vegas-like aura.

One hot spot is Arragon Alley. This is the first alley on your left as you enter the Shinjang Shopping Plaza. This alley is named such for the red pavement that makes its street. Down this alley is EZRiders, a Harley Davidson themed bar, which is a good place to watch a Juicy Parade on Friday and Saturday because the Juicies are all coming from the hair parlor not far from the end. Across the street is Big Ten Club, which plays mostly classic rock. The best bars on this strip are Whiskey Go Go and Scandals. The only club on this alley that has dancing Juicies is the Crystal Club. You have to stop in the Boogie House. It will be on your right. Go in and ask for a Snake Shot. It costs 20000 WON, is a real poisonous snake in a bottle of SoJu that tastes like a biology experiment and you get a T-shirt for it. Oh, they take your picture too. Oh, and you have to change into the shirt right there. Male or female.

At the end of the Alley, take a right and follow the block of buildings. Don뭪 go in the building on the left, it뭩 a prostitution house. You will get arrested. One of my troops tried to buy a hooker for 1000 WON (that뭩 about 90 cents). They threw him out. Keep following this alley and you will come to Paradise Club and Hooters- Korea. Both are kind of dives, but they will make you appreciate the bars back up on the strip. Make sure you get your T-shirt from Hooters, too.

As you come out of Hooters, take a right. Then take another right. This is Young Chon alley. This alley has the nicest hotel in Songtan (Young Chon Hotel), a fantastic coffee shop below it, and two of the more popular bars in town. The Young Chon nightclub, right below the hotel of the same name, will be on your right and have a Russian Costumed Traditional Dance Show. Across the street is Juliana뭩, another big Russian bar. Both bars have pretty good size dance floors.

Head up the hill and come back on the Strip. Take a left and walk until you cross the railroad tracks. In front of you will be Songtan Nights (formally Wide Wings). This is another Rock N?Roll club that features live bands on a regular basis. Be sure to catch Friction if you can. They can really jam. Behind this club is a five-story building that houses the Zone on the top floor. The entrance is on the side, go up one flight of stairs and take the elevator to the fifth floor. This is another big Russian bar that has a huge dance floor, features live bands too, and two of the best pool tables in Songtan. The view is spectacular too.

After you leave there, go back down the strip. Most of the clubs are pretty much the same. The best ones on the Strip are the Dragon and My House. The Dragon is the last club before you come to before Arragon Alley again. This is one of the most popular clubs. The women who come to you to try and get you to buy drinks for the Juicies are very assertive here. There뭩 your warning. My House is across the street. The downstairs is Rock N뭃oll and R & B. Upstairs is a Country Bar. The Upstairs has two novelty drinks. One is a Cowboy Special. It tastes like Orange Kool-Aid and is made with SoJu, Red Wine, Bacchus, Orange Juice, and 7Up. Comes in a 22oz mug for 4000WON. The other novelty drink is Stampede. This drink tastes like Grapefruit juice and the name appropriately describes its effects. It is made of Orange Juice, 7Up, Bourbon, Gin, Rum, and SoJu. It is a full shot of the first three liquors, and a lot of SoJu with a splash of O.J. and 7Up.

If you take the street across from Arragon Alley, you will find the U.N. Club on your right. This is a very popular spot also. It thrives on 80뭩 cheese metal, and hard rock,with some of the newer rock thrown in. The drinks for the girls are only 6000WON but it뭩 still orange juice. Oh, and they all have Korean boyfriends and husbands.

A new bar that is becoming increasingly popular is the Chicken Head. This is located on the hill to the right as you leave the Shinjang. Hashers (a social group that chases each other for beer; you뭗 have to do it to understand it) frequent this bar and provide some excellent entertainment. There is something about this bar that makes people take their clothes off and hang them off of the lamps, walls, and anything else they could. Oh, and at least one of the TVs has a pornographic video playing.

There is one thing that you can get at any bar down here in Songtan. It뭩 called an AMMO Bowl. This is named after the ordnance corps of the Air Force, which I happen to be a member of. They are infamous for taking liquors that don뭪 belong together and mixing them into some concoction. The clubs down here liked this theory and the community has embraced it. Basically, the bars take a huge bowl, fill it ?with ice. They then add SoJu, Beer, 7Up, and whatever other liquors they feel like until the bowl is full. They then throw about 20 straws in it and everyone in your group starts sucking away. I뭭e seen people try to drink one by themselves. I don뭪 recommend this. You won뭪 make it to your hotel.

Other bars that are popular are the Batman, Golden Gate, Mirage, and Xanadu. They are all on the strip. The Phoenix has a live nude show and that is the only time it gets busy. It is on the same alley as U.N. Club, about 100 feet before it.

The bars close at 1am Sunday thru Thursday and at 3am on Friday and Saturday and on the eve of holidays and military day-offs. If you are hungry, read my next review. The restaurants will be closed by now, and it뭩 time to taste the lower end of the food spectrum. You뭠l love yaki mandu, chicken on a stick, and Mrs. Kim burgers. Check it out. It will be posted soon.
The following is the last of his four parts about Songtan. It deals with the “fine dining” on the curbside from the street food vendors. The advice of JW Cummings is timeless. Again we must compliment Mr. Cummings on his descriptive writing skills. It gives a good picture of the street food vendors that populate the Shinjang Shopping Mall. The following is the last of four parts found at Yaki, Mrs. Kim, and Chicken on a Stick…Huh?:

Yaki, Mrs. Kim, and Chicken on a Stick…Huh?
Here is the last part of four part series on what I have experienced while stationed here in South Korea. This is the fun part. You뭭e done your shopping, eaten at a fine restaurant, experiencing the effects of SoJu and now you have the munchies again since you haven뭪 eaten in eight hours. So where do you go for food at this time of night? Look all up and down the strip, and I뭢 sure you will find something.

The busiest places on the strip at this time of the night are the Yaki stands. Everything at these stands are deep-fried and salted heavily. You will love the sensation of your arteries clogging as you are loaded with SoJu. Here you can get Yaki Mandu (wanton-like pasta stuffed with vegetables and meat), hot Korean Peppers (they are usually 4 ? inches long, and have a grenade effect: wait five seconds after biting, you뭠l get burned), shrimp, squid tentacles, and potatoes. They will ask you how much, tell them how much WON you want to spend. Basically, it comes to a pound/1000WON. Give them a little bit of a hard time (밢H ADJI-MA!!! YOU GAVE ME MORE LAST NIGHT!!!?It works every time) and you뭠l get some extra.

Another good place to stop is Mrs. Kim Hamburgers. Now be careful which stand you go to. The one I frequent has a Blue and White sign, and is located in front of the OB Lounge. It will be on your left as you walk towards the entrance to the Shinjang, about 300 feet away. Order a Cheeseburger. This cheeseburger is the best and will remind you of the Carl뭩 Jr. motto: 밒t뭩 not any good unless it뭩 all over your face.?She grills the buns, and the condiments you get are interesting: Mayonnaise, Mustard, Ketchup, cabbage, cucumbers, hot sauce, American cheese and two fried eggs. She does break the yolks so it뭩 not all runny. I know this may not sound appealing, but trust me. It is incredible and only cost 2000WON. Make sure you tip her too. She뭩 about seventy years old and on her feet for eight hours dealing with drunks. Make her day. The only other things I recommend from her stand are the hot dogs (served with cucumbers, cabbage, hot sauce, ketchup, and mayonnaise) and the ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. These only cost 1500WON but aren뭪 as much fun to eat. I do not recommend the kim chi burger. The other Mrs. Kim has a red sign and is located at the corner of the alley across from the Blue Opera. I don뭪 recommend her. She doesn뭪 refrigerate her meat and doesn뭪 clean her grill regularly like Blue and White Mrs. Kim.

A big thing that a lot of people get is Chicken On A Stick. Nobody knows if it is really chicken, but they still eat it. Chunks of white meat BBQ뭗 over hot coals with a spicy sauce that makes your lips smack. The Chicken on A Sticks are only 1000WON. You뭠l see people walking around with five and six of these. Be careful where you get yours. I only recommend two places. The stand at the top of Arragon Alley, which also conveniently has a Yaki stand behind it, is very good. The best place is J.J뭩 Best Chicken Stick. It is a blue truck sitting at the entrance to the Shinjang right in front of the main gate to Osan AB. This guy has a rotisserie he cooks the sticks in first and then pulls them out and BBQ뭩 the sticks to order. He is also very generous with the sauce. I don뭪 recommend the other stands because of Sanitation reasons. The women who run them I have personally seen change children뭩 diapers on the stand and they walk around picking up sticks from ones that were already eaten to reuse the stick.

There are other stands that sell these white rice sticks. I don뭪 particularly care for them. In fact, the only people I see eat them are the Koreans. There are also these little cafeteria stands that serve Kim Chi, Jopjop (clear rice noodle with spices, meat and seaweed), kim bop (seaweed wrapped around rice, ham, egg, and cabbage), and various stir-fries and soups. Pretty good eating if you have the time and very inexpensive.

Well, I hope that I have given you some good directions, insight, and ideas of where and what to do while visiting this part of Korea. I also hope that you뭠l want to visit this great peninsula. There is so much to do here, like visiting Inchon, Seoul, and so many other places. But that will have to come in another review of 밫he Land of the Morning Calm.?

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36th FS in Sunlight (36th Fiends Site)

25th FS and 36th FS (USAF Photo)

36th FS F-16s over West Sea (USAF Photo)

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Runway Closure at Osan (May 2000) Osan’s runway closed for repairs 03 May 2000 causing a diversion of most of the base’s flight operations to nearby Suwon Air Base (a Republic of Korea air force installation) until the project was completed 31 May 2000. Construction management, horizontal and other civil engineer shops replaced 20 concrete slabs, remove melted rubber from the runway, and repair taxiways, among other projects. Osan’s fleet of A-10s, F-16s, U-2s, the Osan Eagle and other aircraft operated out of Suwon, but helicopter operations continued at Osan. The base’s C-12s operated out of nearby Camp Humphreys. Flightline workers commuted back and forth between Osan and Suwon, and about 60 to 70 people were billeted there full-time. Adding Osan’s two flying squadrons to a base that already had a full flying schedule with five flying squadrons of its own really impacted the number of sorties Suwon can support. This caused a reduction in Osan’s flight operations during the month. In past years, Osan closed its runway up to two weeks at a time for repairs, and the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron worked continuously throughout the year to fix immediate runway problems. (Source: GlobalSecurity.org: Osan.)
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Osan AB Population assigned-served: As of 18 February 2000
Active Duty Officer: 721
Active Duty Enlisted: 5592
Family Members: 1500 (approx)
US Civilian Employees: 470 (includes NAF off-duty mil)

Total Osan Population: 8283
(Source: Installation Guide)

Map of Osan AB (2001)

The following photos by Curly Knepp, Maj, USAF (Ret) were found at Korean War Photos by Bob West. The photos document many of the changes that occurred at Osan after military construction funds were released in 1996 after being placed on a hold for 5 years due to the Nunn-Warner initiative. Even though Osan, located next to Songtan — a part of Pyongtaek City — is considered a remote assignment, a stroll down the base’s main drag says otherwise. There, the aroma of American fast-food restaurants pulls in hungry customers, especially students attending a Department of Defense high school across the street. Considering Osan’s mission and locale, many newcomers are astonished to see family members, especially children. After all, word has it that Osan is an unaccompanied tour. Not so; the base has nearly 400 accompanied slots, primarily for mission-essential positions. Osan, with its 37 dorms, is second only to Lackland AFB, Texas, in the number of single/unaccompanied living quarters, and three new dorms are under construction at the Korean base. By the turn of the century, enlisted dorms were refurbished to include not only the common areas, but also new furniture for the majority of the 9,700 rooms. Contrary to belief, Osan troops don’t live in Quonset huts or tents (Source: GlobalSecurity.org: Osan AB)

Osan Main Gate (2001) (Curly Knepp)

Main Gate from Inside Gate area (2001) (Curly Knepp)

Osan AB Curfew Sign (2001) (Curly Knepp)
Curfew changed in 2004

Dormitory on Hill 180 (2001) (Curly Knepp)
Completed 1987

Osan Officers Club (2001) (Curly Knepp)
Opens Fall 1987

Osan AB Hospital (2001) (Curly Knepp)
Completed 1987

Osan “MiG Alley” Bowling Center (2001)
Best in USAF (2004) (Curly Knepp)

Supply Building with Dryvit Exterior Upgrade (2001) (Curly Knepp)
First Permanent Building on Osan in 1952

Osan Swimming Pool (2001) (Curly Knepp)

Turumi Inn Visitor Lodgings Under Construction (2001) (Curly Knepp) Lodge Completed in 2002

Static Display at Doolittle Gate. F-86 painted with colors of “Beauteous Butch”, the aircraft flown by the leading Korean War ace, Captain Joseph McConell. (2001) (Curly Knepp) (NOTE: The aircraft is actually s/n 52-4573 painted as 51-2910. (Source: Baugher Site).)

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(L) VFW Post 10216 commander Ron Davis Salutes (1 Feb 2001) (Stars and Stripes) (R) Flags in background at Hill 180 Memorial Ceremonies (Feb 2001) (Jim Price) (NOTE: Ceremony commemorating actions taken made by Company E of the 27th Infantry Division on 7 Feb 1951. On that day, Hill 180 became the scene of intense fighting between American and Chinese troops. Company E was ambushed by Chinese troops on top of the hill. Pinned down and running low on ammunition, Capt. Lewis Millet led the first American company strength bayonet charge since the First World War and took the hill.)

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(L) Jim Price and Curly Knepp at Monument (R) Jim Price and Ex-Songtan Police Chief Kim Yong-Bin (Jim Price)

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Hardened Communications Bldg (2001) (Curly Knepp)
Completed in 1990

The Hardened Theater Air Control Center at Osan AB is the largest Combined Air Operations Center in the world. The “Hardened” in the HTACC’s designation derives from the 10-foot-thick walls, hence the nickname “Cheyenne Mountain of South Korea.” The Hardened Theater Air Control Center’s Defense Red Switch Network provided superior multi-level, self-authenticating, flexible, secure communications, which enhanced leadership’s command and control effectiveness.

Osan needs data supplied by its tenant reconnaissance/intelligence units, such as the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron. Nicknamed the Blackcats, the 5th RS flies the gliderlike U-2s on daily missions that can last 11 or 12 hours. There’s no rest for a unit that delivers information capable of deciding a battle’s outcome. After two decades of being the warfighter’s eyes and ears in Korea, the 5th has flown more than 7,000 operational sorties. Using data-link capabilities in near real-time, the 5th RS provides fresh images to the 607th Air Intelligence Squadron for dissemination to policy-makers and combat troops.

Though the ROKAF Tactical Air Control Center at Osan became operational in 1983, the Theater Air Control Center has a full control over all air operations. Reconnaissance aircraft and air defense radar sites inform the center about potentially hostile aircraft before they enter South Korean airspace. In wartime this capability is expected to allow South Korean air controllers more time to assess threat and the ability quickly to communicate orders to interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missile sites.
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31st SOS
31st Special Operations Squadron Deactivated (Jun 2001) When 31st SOS left Osan, it marked the end of the MH-53 Pave Low missions in the Pacific theater. The 31st Special Operations Squadron Black Knights are no more. The 50-year-old unit held an inactivation ceremony and the squadron members gradually rotated to units outside Korea. The unit will be augmented by airmen from helicopter units at Hurlburt Field, Fla. This was the first step in preparation for the arrival of the CV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft. The 353rd Special Operations Group, the squadron뭩 parent unit at Kadena Air Base, Japan said, the new aircraft would increase the command뭩 long-range mission, (even) sending teams into politically denied or hostile territory — and still carry the 31st banner.

MH-53 Pave Low

During its nine years at Osan, the squadron has used its MH-53J Pave Low III helicopters for humanitarian flights and classified night missions. (NOTE: The 31st SOS arrived in 1992, but officially it was assigned to Osan on 13 Mar 1993.) The Pave Low is a long-range, all-weather helicopter capable of flying at very low altitudes through zero-visibility weather. When the squadron leaves Korea in June, its helicopters will be reassigned to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.. Army units will take up special operations and rescue missions in South Korea once the Air Force squadron is deactivated. The following story is from the Stars and Stripes on 16 Apr 2001:

31st Special Operations Squadron leaves humanitarian legacy behind
By Jim Lea, Osan bureau chief

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea ?The 31st Special Operations Squadron, as its name implies, has flown many missions in its nine years in South Korea that can be spoken of only in whispers between people who that need to know.

But when its MH-53J Pave Low helicopters lift off the Osan tarmac for the last time later this year, the squadron will leave behind a life-saving legacy in the Pacific that뭩 hard to match.

For the nearly 50 years it and its predecessors have spent in the Western Pacific, the squadron has accounted for saving more than 1,000 lives in combat, natural disasters and accidents.

The latest of those “saves” took place Feb. 27 when one of the squadron뭩 Pave Lows sped through dense clouds and a snowstorm at night to rescue three South Koreans on tiny Paeng Nyong island only seven miles from North Korea in the Yellow Sea. The two most seriously injured likely would have died, said Lt. Col. Brendan G. Clare, if the 31st hadn뭪 been available to fly them to Seoul for treatment.

MH-53J Pave Low III (MH-53J Pave Low III)

But rescue has always been part of the 31st뭩 job. It traces its roots to the 31st Air Rescue Squadron activated at Clark Air Base in the Philippines in November 1952. Since then, it has evolved through several unit designations including Detachment 1, 33rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron and 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.

It became the 31st Special Operations Squadron at Clark in 1989. As such, it was part of the 353rd Special Operations Wing headquartered at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa and the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Air Force Base, Fla.

In 1990, the unit was called on to perform its biggest humanitarian mission. Three hours after a massive earthquake devastated the city of Baguio in the northern Philippines on July 16, four 31st helicopters and crews made night flights to the city to deliver medical supplies and personnel.

Over the next several weeks, the unit evacuated more than 8,000 people from the area and delivered some 54 tons of food and supplies.

When Mount Pinatubo erupted a year later, burying much of Clark Air Base in volcanic ash, the squadron moved to Futenma Marine Corps Air Station on Okinawa, from where it operated until moving to Osan in 1992.

MH-53J Pave Low III (MH-53J Pave Low III)

At the squadron inactivation ceremony Brig. Gen. Richard L. Comer, Air Force Special Operations Command vice commander, called the deactivation a “sad occasion.” People who have been assigned to the 31st over the years have carried out “an untold number of humanitarian-like individual rescues and medical evacuations,” he said.

“They have had the attitude that, 몏hatever you want done, we뭠l do it. If it뭩 rescue or airlift or special operations, we뭠l find a way to do it,? he said.

Comer said that when the squadron flies its Pave Lows out of Osan for the last time, “it will mark the end of U.S. Air Force MH-53 operations in the Pacific.”

The long-range, all-weather aircraft has the capability of flying at very low altitude at night.

During their three decades of use by the Air Force in the Pacific, Pave Lows took part in combat operations in Vietnam evacuating Phnom Penh and Saigon in 1975 then rescuing the 19-man crew of the merchant ship Mayaguez, which was captured by Cambodian forces in the Gulf of Siam.

When the 31st leaves South Korea in June, its Pave Lows will be transferred to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

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25th FS Patch

25th FS A-10 awaiting night takeoff

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Americans Accused of Illegally Shooting Birds Near Osan Runway: Poaching or Bird Strike Prevention? (Jan 2001) According to the Stars and Stripes on 19 Jan 2001, South Korean police accused three U.S. Army officers and a government contract civilian employee of illegally shooting 90 ducks and geese near the Osan Air Base runway. The men, apprehended by police, include a colonel and a major assigned to the U.S. Forces Korea staff and a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 6th Cavalry Brigade at Camp Humphreys, about five miles south of Osan. The men were apprehended less than one mile southwest of the Osan runway, police said. Hunting in the area is prohibited, and the men had expired hunting licenses. When questioned, the men told Korean investigators they were shooting the birds as part of a military program aimed at keeping the Osan runway clear of birds. Police turned the accused over to military authorities and are preparing papers to turn the case over to government prosecutors. The South Korean Environment Ministry reportedly has asked USFK to punish the men. The ministry sent a letter to USFK asking that personnel in the command be informed of appropriate regulations and that steps be taken to ensure such incidents do not occur in the future.

There was confusion, however, over whether shooting the birds was illegal. The civilian involved had been a volunteer member of Osan뭩 Bird/Aircraft Strike Hazard program for 11 years. The program, operated by the base safety office, is aimed at keeping the runway clear of birds since bird strikes during landing and take off can cause aircraft to crash. The men had paperwork signed in January 2000 by the mayor뭩 office in Pyongtaek, the community in which the air base is located, authorizing them to shoot birds as part of the bird strike program. Whether that authority had expired is one of the points under investigation at the time. If the authority had expired, she said, the officers involved in the incident were not aware of it. In the past, Osan safety officials have said that killing birds on and around the runway is done only as a last resort. Officials attempt to keep the runway clear by using other tactics, including firing a noise cannon to scare them away. Food sources and nests also are removed near the runway.
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A-10 Crash (Jan 2001) Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 80-0158 (51st FW, 25th FS) crashed near Osan, Korea Jan 12, 2001. Pilot ejected safely. (Source: Military Plane Accidents and Joe Baugher Site: 1980.)

25th FS A-10A 20mm gun (2002) (USAF)

25th FS A-10A on ramp (2002) (USAF)

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Osan, ROKAF pilots train together in 7th AF ‘Buddy Wing’ (Mar 2001) According to PACAF News on 2 Mar 2001, eleven ROKAF pilots and maintainers from the 155th Fighter Squadron, based at Choong-won Air Base, trained with Osan뭩 36th Fighter Squadron as part of 7th Air Force뭩 “Buddy Wing” program. The exchange allowed U.S. Air Force and ROKAF fighter units to train together and prepare for combined operations. The ROKAF contingent, led by Maj. Moon Kaeun-sik, consisted of five pilots and six maintainers. For three days, the ROKAF team worked side-by-side with their U.S. counterparts, flying missions, and maintaining and servicing F-16 aircraft. The program provided both sides with an opportunity to share techniques for combat execution and training.

RoKAF F-16D meets up with 36th FS F-16C at end of runway (USAF Photo) (3 May 2001)

Capt Kim Jung-soo and Maj Kim Young-woon await taxi at Osan (USAF Photo) (24 Feb 2001)

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U-2 of the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, 9th RW (USAF Photo) (3 May 2001)

U-2 Milestone: “Dragon Lady” 329 logs 20,000 flying hours (Feb 2001) On 25 Feb 2001, U-2S “Dragon Lady” aircraft, tail number 68-10329, officially logged 20,000 flying hours. Lt. Col. Jon Engle piloted the aircraft during its historic hour. The 5th RS is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif., an Air Combat Command unit. Known in shortened form as “329,” the aircraft took its maiden flight Aug. 28, 1967 with Lockheed Skunk Works test pilot Bill Park at the controls. Since then, it has flown with the Central Intelligence Agency from California and Taiwan, the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale, and the 5th RS here. Aircraft 329 was the first U-2S aircraft to roll off the production line. It also was the first to carry the distinctive “superpods” that are a common sight on U-2S flights today. The 5th RS started at Osan AB as the Det 2, 100th SRW in Feb 1976 and celebrated 25 years at Osan in 2001.

Osan needs data supplied by its tenant reconnaissance/intelligence units, such as the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron. Nicknamed the Blackcats, the 5th RS flies the gliderlike U-2s on daily missions that can last 11 or 12 hours. There’s no rest for a unit that delivers information capable of deciding a battle’s outcome. After two decades of being the warfighter’s eyes and ears in Korea, the 5th has flown more than 7,000 operational sorties. Using data-link capabilities in near real-time, the 5th RS provides fresh images to the 607th Air Intelligence Squadron for dissemination to policy-makers and combat troops.

The following is from TaiwanAirPower.org: U-2 Appendix. For those of us who remember watching high-powered Ford Rancheros racing down the runway to catch the black bird that would balance on gyros at the end of the runway until the wing wheels were affixed, this article is of great interest. Even now we’re fascinated as the U-2S floats in for a landing as we watch it from the rail overpass leading to the Doolittle Gate — and for those of us who can remember the Gary Powers U2 crash in Russia, we marvel at an old gal, the Dragon Lady, that just won’t quit. This history of the Black Cats of Osan AB was written by LtCol Charles “Chuck” Wilson and MSgt James McKinley.

History of the Dragon Lady and the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron “The Blackcats”

by LtCol Charles “Chuck” Wilson and MSgt James McKinley

The need for aerial reconnaissance was perhaps first realized when the Duke of Wellington, Napoleon’s adversary at Waterloo, once remarked “the most difficult part of warfare was seeing what was on the other side of the next hill.” Early in the 20th Century General Werner von Fritsch, Commander- in-Chief of the German Army in World War I, predicted “The nation with the best aerial reconnaissance facilities will win the next war.” Thus, the world powers soon found themselves in a race for the ultimate means of obtaining aerial reconnaissance. By 1952, the U.S. government had used existing aircraft and balloons for photo reconnaissance. In 1953, the government sought ideas on a new reconnaissance aircraft from civilian contractors. Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson, designer at the Skunk Works Division of Lockheed, submitted his proposal for a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft in March 1954. He took a F104 and made major modifications to the structure. The result was an aircraft later named the U-2. The letter U designated the aircraft as a “utility” aircraft. Eight short months later, in November 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the U-2 program.

In 1956 the term “Dragon Lady” was born with a major Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operation by the same name using the U-2. “Dragon Lady” was the name of a popular comic strip during this time that seemed to represent the nature of U-2. The word dragon is associated with earlier British projects to gain information about German rocket programs. Eventually, in the reconnaissance world, the term dragon was used to refer to individuals processing scientific or technical information.

On 14 December 1960, Detachment H was created in Taiwan. The “Blackcat” nickname associated with the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron was started by Detachment H. Det H flyers would frequent an establishment called the “Blackcat” in a nearby town. The name “Blackcat” soon became synonymous with the members of the U-2 Det. The original Blackcat patch was designed in 1961 by Lieutenant Colonel Chen, Whei-Shen. Lt Col Chen was shot down on 1 September 1962.

The U-2 program remained under the reigns of the CIA from 1954 until 1974 when it was turned over to the United States Air Force. The 5th Reconnaissance Squadron evolved shortly thereafter. In February 1976, personnel from the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and the 99th SRS at operating location UA, U-Tapao Airfield Thailand, deployed to Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, to establish a 90 day test program. The first TDY Commander was Colonel L. M. Kidder who was replaced in late March 1976 by Lieutenant Colonel R.B. Birkett. In pril of that year the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed the 99th SRS to move from U-Tapao to Osan. In mid-May 1976, Lieutenant Colonel David G. Young arrived with the last contingent from U-Tapao and replaced Lieutenant Colonel Birkett. Shortly after his arrival, Lieutenant Colonel Young established the “Blackcat” as the Operating Location nickname. In July 1976, Lieutenant Colonel Jerry C. Sinclair arrived as the first PCS Commander. In September 1976, the 100th SRW was inactivated and OL-AO became Detachment 2 of the 9th SRW of Beale AFB, CA. During October 1994, Det 2 of the 9th RW became the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron.

The 5th Reconnaissance Squadron is a subordinate unit to the 9th Operations Group, 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California. The 5th Reconnaissance Squadron is an Air Combat Command unit at a forward operating location tasked with a real-world classified reconnaissance mission and under the operational control of United States Pacific Command. 5RS flies highly sensitive reconnaissance missions, mainly supporting US forces in Korea. These missions are santioned by the National Command Authorities thru the Joint Chiefs of Staff. There are approximately 230 men and women assigned to the 5RS. About one fourth of the squadron is composed of civilian contractors representing six corporations associated with the U-2 aircraft and means of reconnaissance. The squadron has three full time pilots and utilizes four to five TDY pilots from Beale AFB CA. The TDY pilots and Physiological Support Division personnel are on 60-75 day tours of duty. U-2 pilots spend an average of 140-180 days per year TDY at different U-2 detachments world-wide. Since 1976, the unit has flown over 8,400 nine-hour operational sorties, utilizing an integrated suite of all-weather multi-spectral sensors. The unit has maintained an outstanding 98 percent mission effectiveness rating, despite challenging weather and a long logistics trail. Significant past events include the 1976 DMZ “tree cutting” incident. The unit provided continuous coverage of North Korea during the tense period that followed this unprovoked act by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In telligence gathered by the U-2 helped preclude further hostile action by North Korea. Since 1976, surge operations have been conducted many times due to heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula. In 1987, President Roh Tae Woo visited the detachment to honor the unit for its outstanding contribution to the security of the country. In addition to conducting intelligence gathering missions, the unit has flown humanitarian sorties to assess ROK environmental concerns, such as flood damage, and assist the Philippines in surveying the devastation caused by the Mount Pinatubo eruption.

Lieutenant Colonel William R. Horton served as the Det 2 Commander from 1977 to 1978. “Oscar,” the detachment mascot (black cat), was given to all Blackcats as a departing gift from Lt Col Horton. Oscar has remained a true friend and a faithful supporter to all personnel since his arrival. Oscar went AWOL and Oscar Jr. was acquired as a replacement mascot. He has successfully carried out all traditional mascot responsibilities, and has earned a reputation throughout the U-2 world. On 1 October 1994, Detachment 2 deactivated and the Blackcats received their current designation, 5th Reconnaissance Squadron. Lieutenant Colonel Scott D. Mefford was the commander.

In 1995, Lieutenant Colonel Charles P. “Chuck” Wilson II, became the commander. During this time, the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron was the first unit to bring the new U-2S model aircraft fully operational. Lieutenant Colonel “Chuck” Wilson piloted the first ever U-2S operational mission on 20 October 1995. The unit was also the first U-2 operational unit inspected by the Air Combat Command Inspector General. Additionally, the 5RS scored in the top five percent on the 1995 Air Combat Command Quality Air Force Assessment. The 5RS was “benchmarked” by the ACC/IG in both operations and maintenance. 5RS flew the 2000th Advanced Synthetic Aperture RADAR System (ASARS) mission and was the first unit to bring the Enhanced Moving Target Indicator on line. The squadron was recipient of the 1995 Lockheed Advanced Development Corporation Hughes Trophy, distinguishing the unit as the best reconnaissance squadron. 5RS was also nominated for the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. This citation has been approved with the award yet to be presented.

The dedicated men and women of the Blackcat Squadron have sacrificed to meet every challenge of a seven day (and night) a week operation for 20 years Captain Marty McGregor gave the ultimate sacrifice on 15 January 1992 when his U-2 aircraft crashed into the Sea of Japan. His memory lives on every day as the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron remains mindful of the responsibility they bear in this volatile part of the world keeping watch on hazardous peace. The traditional U-2 pilot patch simply stating “Towards the Unknown” speaks for the dedication of all Blackcats.

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33rd Rescue Squadron

Det 1, 33rd RS crew evacuates South Korean woman from island (Feb 2001) The HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopter took off from Osan Air Base at 1:56 a.m. Feb. 19 to rescue Yu Shin-Ja, a 33-year old in Bek Ryung Island, Yu was diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening complication and was in need of an emergency caesarian operation. According to the May 2001 Katchikapshida (USFK Magazine), the 6th Brigade, ROK Marines, assigned to the island requested the ROK Air Force to send a helicopter, which was dispatched, but forced to return due to foggy weather. The ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff then requested U.S. airlift assistance and immediately, a U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter with a doctor flew from Osan Air Base to the Paengnyong island, about 120 miles north of Osan in the Yellow Sea.

One of the squadron뭩 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters left Osan for the island at 4:55 p.m. Inclement weather prevented it from landing, however, and it returned to Osan at 6 p.m. to refuel and change crews. Although the helicopter crew faced weather conditions that reduced visibility to less than one mile in the vicinity of Bek Ryung Island, the Pave Hawk is equipped with sophisticated night vision and navigational capabilities. Additonally, the crew trains routinely in bad weather and low visibility operations, and was well prepared for the mission. However, according to Stars and Stripes in a 1 Feb 2001 story, “By 2 a.m., a seven-person crew took off from Osan for the 90-minute flight to the island. The weather was miserable. “We didn뭪 have any visibility,” said Capt. Shelly Black, one of two pilots on the helicopter. “I뭭e never flown in weather like that.” For training missions, guidelines call for a minimum 2-mile visibility, but that night the visibility was less than that, Black said. During training, pilots use night-vision goggles, but there must be some ambient light for them to work. The clouds and fog made them ineffective, Black said. The pilot then relies on the infrared that defines clouds and terrain. But at night over water without terrain features and vision, pilots must rely on cockpit instruments. “It was the most challenging flight I뭭e been on in six years,” Black said. When they approached the island, visibility improved and the crew found the landing spot, Black said. Swirling ambulance lights helped.” The mother and a healthy 9-pound, 6-ounce baby girl were in good condition at Gil Hospital.

In a special ceremony, the ROK Marine Commandant,Lt. Gen. Kim Myung-Hwan, presented letters of appreciation to the U.S. flight crew for their part in the rescue operation. A few days later, the U.S. flight crew that brought Yu to Inchon visited her at the hospital. It was a joyful reunion for Yu and the crew. Overwhelmed by a shower of flowers and gifts, Yu and her husband, Kim Jung-Wook, thanked each and every one for playing an important role in their lives.
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33rd Rescue Squadron launches from the USS Juneau during exercises with helicopter units. The 33rd is the only USAF squadron that maintains crews that are trained in ship landings.

HH-60G Pave Hawk Mission

The primary mission of the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is to conduct day or night operations into hostile environments to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war. Because of its versatility, the HH-60G is also tasked to perform military operations other than war. These tasks include civil search and rescue, emergency aeromedical evacuation (MEDEVAC), disaster relief, international aid, counterdrug activities and NASA space shuttle support.

HH-60G Pave Hawk Features

The Pave Hawk is a highly modified version of the Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter which features an upgraded communications and navigation suite that includes an integrated inertial navigation/global positioning/Doppler navigation systems, satellite communications, secure voice, and Have Quick communications.

All HH-60Gs have an automatic flight control system, night vision goggles lighting and forward looking infrared system that greatly enhances night low-level operations. Additionally, Pave Hawks have color weather radar and an engine/rotor blade anti-ice system that gives the HH-60G an all-weather capability.

Pave Hawk mission equipment includes a retractable in-flight refueling probe, internal auxiliary fuel tanks, two crew-served 7.62mm machineguns and an 8,000-pound (3,600 kilograms) capacity cargo hook. To improve air transportability and shipboard operations, all HH-60G’s have folding rotor blades.

Pave Hawk combat enhancements include a radar warning receiver, infrared jammer and a flare/chaff countermeasure dispensing system.

HH-60G rescue equipment includes a hoist capable of lifting a 600 pound load (270 kilograms) load from a hover height of 200 feet (60.7 meters), and a personnel locating system that is compatible with the PRO-112 survival radio and provides range and bearing information to a survivor’s location. A limited number of Pave Hawks are equipped with an over-the-horizon tactical data receiver that is capable of receiving near real-time mission update information. (Source: Inventors: Pave Hawk.)

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Det 1, 33rd Rescue Squadron performs medical evacuation (Apr 2001) Detachment 1, 33rd Rescue Squadron responded to a nighttime emergency medical evacuation late April 1. At 11 p.m., an HH-60G helicopter, call sign Rescue 209, lifted off after receiving a call that two Korean national patients with cerebral brain hemorrhages required immediate evacuation from the island of Ul Lung Do, approximately 185 miles east of Osan. Pilot Capt. Dan Duffy, copilot Capt. Robert Remey, pararescueman Tech. Sgt. John Davis, flight engineer Staff Sgt. Keith Johnson, and aerial gunner Staff Sgt. William Godwin made up the rescue crew.

Unlike most missions of this sort, the weather was favorable except for moderate turbulence and winds over the mountains on the East Coast of Korea. Because it was nighttime, the crew used Night Vision Goggles to fly to and from the island. The crew landed the helicopter without a problem at 12:28 a.m. However, even with the rapid response, the crew was informed that the elder patient had passed away. The crew transferred the remaining patient to the helicopter and set off for Seoul Air Base. On arrival at Seoul AB at 2:17 a.m., the patient was transferred by ambulance to Seoul General Hospital.

The effort was the third in six weeks where Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff has requested support from US Forces Korea. ROK JCS requests support in such situations where ROK units are unable to respond.
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Det 1, 33rd RS copter crew evacuates ailing South Korean woman from island (Aug 2001) According to Stars and Stripes on 1 Aug 2001, a crew from Osan’s 33rd Rescue Squadron’s Detachment 1 battled inclement weather in a four-hour mercy mission. The crew evacuated a 30-year-old South Korean woman suffering pregnancy difficulties from a tiny island near North Korea to a hospital at Suwon for treatment. The mission began after the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff notified base officials that the woman was in need of immediate evacuation from Paengnyong Island, about 120 miles north of Osan in the Yellow Sea.

Phillips said one of the squadron뭩 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters left Osan for the island at 4:55 p.m. Inclement weather prevented it from landing, however, and it returned to Osan at 6 p.m. to refuel and change crews. The chopper took off again about 30 minutes later and was able to land on the island at 7:15 p.m. It took off 25 minutes later, headed for a hospital in Seoul. Inclement weather in the capital again prevented a landing and the crew turned toward Osan, landing there at 8:51 p.m. The woman, her husband and doctor were transferred to a South Korean ambulance waiting on the flight line and were sped to Aju Hospital in Suwon. The woman gave birth to a 4-pound, 12-ounce boy an hour after arriving at the hospital.

Air Force Maj. Eric Steward, the detachment commander, piloted the helicopter. The Air Force crew included Capt. Matt Menthe, the co-pilot; Staff Sgt. Lance Miller, flight engineer; Staff Sgt. Richard Joy, left scanner; and pararescuemen Staff Sgt. Joshua Smith and Senior Airman Jonathan McCoy.
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Osan Airman Nabbed for Hacking Korean Computers (May 2001) The Stars and Stripes on May 5, 2001 stated that a 24-year-old Osan airman was apprehended by South Korean cyber police on suspicion of hacking Web sites of at least 50 Korean schools and companies. It is the first time a member of the U.S. military has been nabbed for suspected hacking. Korean authorities apprehended the man as he was using a computer in the home of his Korean girlfriend in Pyongtaek. He said the Air Force Office of Special Investigations is cooperating in the case. Authorities had evidence that the man used his girlfriend뭩 computer and a government computer at Osan for hacking activities. Under the SOFA, the crime of computer hacking is not covered so it was a new “grey area.” Police said the man hacked into the Web sites of 30 Korean business firms and about 20 schools. The police believe the airman hacked into a Korean elementary school site using his office computer in April, entering “abusive language” on the school뭩 homepage. Korean investigators say he created “backdoors” on the sites he hacked into, allowing him to re-enter those sites at will.
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World Trade Center (2001) (Unknown)

World Trade Center (2001) (Unknown)
Events at Kunsan AB on Sept 11th Bombing For the day-to-day details on Sept 11 Bombing from an expatriate viewpoint, go to Sept 11 Bombing. The viewpoint is from Kalani O’Sullivan, an expatriate living in Korea and reporting on the reactions of the Koreans around him and his personal feelings as retired military. He relates the actions of the USFK and Kunsan AB in reacting to the bombing.

Osan Main Gate Security Measures (Sept 2001)

After-effects of 9/11 Bombing at Osan AB Immediately following the 9/11 tragedy, the USFK did not know what to do. The first reaction was to implement a “force protection” protocol. According to the Stars and Stripes on 14 Sep 2005, “U.S. Air Force families living near Osan and Kunsan air bases got temporary new homes as military officials moved them on base as a force protection measure arising from terrorist attacks in the States. Families living in Air Force Village, a housing area about two miles from Osan Air Base, and other off-base private rentals, were ordered to move onto the base.”

Once the people arrived on base, they were not allowed to leave the base. Exceptions were reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The families were reportedly staying at the Osan American High School gymnasium. Personnel assigned to Osan and Kunsan were restricted to the bases. They were allowed to leave only on mission-essential business. No other bases in the Pacific recalled SOFA personnel who resided off base. Air Force officials reportedly were taking all possible precautions to ensure the safety of airmen and their families during the upgraded alert triggered by attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York.

What puzzled everyone is that USAFE did not lock down the bases — though they had a higher threat of terrorist attacks than Korea. However, the USFK reacted on the side of “better safe than sorry” — circling the wagons until the threat could be realistically assessed.

On 23 Sep the restriction on off-base travel was lifted, but the off-limits sanctions for force protection remained in place. The following is a Stars and Stripes article from 24 Sep 2006.

Osan again allows off-post travel, but curfew remains in effect
By Jim Lea, Osan bureau chief
Pacific edition, Monday, September 24, 2001

PYONGTAEK, South Korea ?Life began returning to normal at Osan Air Base and for the South Korean business community just outside the gates Saturday, after a partial lifting of a ban on off-post travel.

The ban on the shopping and entertainment district of Songtan, the Pyongtaek district that surrounds the base, was removed on Friday, although a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew is now in effect. On Saturday, many who had been cooped up since the attacks headed for the Shinjang shopping and entertainment mall just outside the main gate.

“People came out yesterday but didn뭪 spend much,” said Lee Kyung-chu, Songtan Chamber of Commerce president on Saturday. “They were just happy to get off the base, I guess. They뭨e starting to spend today, though.”

Lee said earlier that the district was losing $10,000 to $20,000 a day while the off-limits ban was in effect, and a few businesses were edging toward bankruptcy.

“Things are starting to look up, though,” he said.

South Korean police posted extra security in the area. Police with automatic rifles directed traffic outside the main gate and walked among the shoppers.

The commissary and base exchange were packed with shoppers all weekend. There also were long lines at the base gas station.

While servicemembers and their families could go to town again, the base뭩 51st Services Squadron offered freebees for people to remain on base.

On Friday, the Officers, Mustang noncommissioned officers and Challenger enlisted clubs all dished up free steak dinners for anyone ?club members or not ?with a Department of Defense ID card. More free stuff was on tap through the weekend.

On Saturday, there were prize giveaways at both the Mustang and Challenger Clubs, and the Mustang served a free buffet in the evening. There was free bowling and hot dogs through the weekend at the base뭩 MiG Alleys Bowling Center, and hourly drawings for gift certificates. The recreation center offered free use of its arcade video games through the weekend.

But, there were no smiles in one segment of the business community, as the nightclubs and bars in the Shinjang district remain off limits.

Chamber of Commerce President Lee said he and members of the bar association met with base officials on Friday and asked that the off-limits ban on bars and clubs be lifted.

“They said they뭨e considering our request,” he said.

But Aragon Alley, one of several narrow streets near the mall, wasn뭪 empty on Saturday.

Servicemembers complied with the off-limits order. But, benches and chairs outside the clubs were filled with airmen and soldiers swigging on soft drinks as they chatted with the idled bar hostesses. “I can sit out here all day and talk,” said one servicemember.
By 1 Oct, base officials offered little hope for immediate relief for Songtan business owners affected by an off-limits ban on servicemembers. Capt. April Dillard, spokeswoman for Osan뭩 51st Fighter Wing, said an off-limits ban on the nearly 100 bars and clubs in the Songtan district just outside the base will remain in effect until further notice. Yu Chae-o, head of the district뭩 bar association, said if the ban continues, many of the business owners may have to close. 밫hey뭨e quickly going broke, and there뭩 nothing else they can do,?Yu said. (Source: Stars and Stripes 1 Oct 01.)

The initial ban ordered servicemembers and civilian employees to stay out of South Korean communities except when traveling to and from their off-base quarters. Visiting South Korean shopping areas was authorized again about three weeks ago, but bars and clubs still were off limits. Bar and club owners in Songtan said they were losing as much as 40 million won (about $31,000) a day.

Some clubs reportedly had begun sending some Filipina bar hostesses home. “We can’t afford to keep them,” one bar proprietress said two weeks ago. “I haven’t made enough since the off limits began to even pay the electricity.” A 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew remained in effect throughout the command. (Source: Stars and Stripes on 22 Oct 03.)

On 22 Oct 2001 the Stars and Stripes reported that the USFK rescinded an off-limits ban of entertainment districts outside U.S. military bases in South Korea that had been in effect since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States. In the Songtan security measures had been in effect for a month. Parking had been prohibited in the Shinjang Shopping Mall vicinity where bars catering to the U.S. military are just outside Osan. South Korean police carrying automatic rifles patrol the area, and signs inside the clubs tell patrons knapsacks and bags are not allowed.

Before the Sept. 11 attacks, the curfew at Osan and Humphreys and other areas was midnight to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 2 to 5 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and the day before U.S. holidays. While curfew hours are tighter, bar operators, customers, civic officials and hostesses in Songtan didn’t gripe as, “Anything is better than what it was.” Lee Kyung-chu (Kasey Lee), who heads the Songtan Chamber of Commerce, said he was happy to see people allowed to enter the bars again. “These are all small businessmen, and they were losing a lot of money. I think we have all the proper security measures in place. It’s safe to go to bars in Songtan,” he said.

Osan Main Gate Barriers and tire shredder at Main Gate (2002) (Jack Terwiel)

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Plans for New AAFES BX Announced (Nov 2001) In Nov 2001, the buildings down near the corner of Broadway and Songtan were evacuated in preparation for clearing of the ground for the new BX. The blocklong string of buildings housing many Army and Air Force Exchange Service facilities for years were suddenly empty. A crew was demolishing the Class Six store and shoppette. (NOTE: Completion was scheduled for August or September 2003 — but delays pushed the opening to Nov 2004. The area was cleared for construction in 2001-2002, but they didn’t start on the building construction until 2003, which meant the exchange opened up almost a year after it was scheduled to.) The $24 million, 180,000-square-foot facility was intended to be 밶 one-stop shopping center.?The main exchange was to feature 60,000 square feet of sales space ?nearly twice the space of the main exchange at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, up to then was the biggest in the country. The Class Six and shoppette was moved temporarily into the old Osan-ni dining facility near the base golf course뭩 clubhouse. The Bookmark, concessionaire mall, and barber and beauty shops went into the old McPherson Community Center (Building 745) for about 18 months.

Billeting was scheduled to move when the new three-story Turumi Inn, a 350-room Visiting Quarters that was to be completed across the street from the existing main exchange.

Map of Osan AB

On the map above the following buildings are due for demolition: (6) Class Six; Shoppette; (2) Beauty Shop; (3) Bookmark; Box Office Video (relocate to old McPherson Rec Center); (12) Minimall; (8) Four Seasons; Barber Shop.
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Multi-million dollar projects for Osan, but Conservation and Cultural Awareness The Stars and Stripes article on 30 Aug 2001 outlined how the 51st CES tracked graves and historical markers — such as the Ginko tree on the golf course — on base in their computers. The tree is only one of many Korean cultural properties listed in a computer database Capt. Matuzak뭩 office maintains. Others include the many graves dotted around the base. 밯e don뭪 touch the graves,?he said.

The article went on, “Issues such as fuel and toxic material storage are other concerns. Last year during torrential rains, an underground tank ruptured on base and several thousand gallons of fuel spilled. The spill was stopped and cleanup operations began immediately. The base also invited environmental officials from Pyongtaek and Kyonggi Province for a look at the spill, cleanup operations and what would be done in the future to prevent reoccurrence. Those Korean officials said they were satisfied with the cleanup operation. 밯e have a spill response team on standby constantly,?Matusak said. 밒t goes to work immediately, directing what needs to be done whenever something happens. So far this year, we뭭e done amazingly well. We haven뭪 had a single Class 4 leak (more than 100 gallons), only minor things that have been cleaned up quickly.?Now, he added, 뱖e뭨e spending several million dollars to move all our underground tanks above ground.?

The article also addressed hazardous waste and recycling. The base had contracted its trash pickup and the contractor supposedly sorted the trash by hand for recycleable material. Supposedly the ROK government would fine the contractor if recycleable material ended up in the trash dump. (SITE NOTE: After reading for years how Korean contractors dump tons of toxic waste into rivers (or bury it in the “green belt” surrounding Seoul) and observing how the mountain of trash grew outside of Kimpo literally into a mountain, we don’t think the base has a grasp of the problem — only the idea that it was NOT their problem. Also since 2001, the USFK has also contracted out its hazardous waste to an American firm that also contracts the final disposal to a Korean company.)
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Honcho Park The Airman Magazine in Sept 2001 ran a touching story of Pak Chan-yang뭩 flight to freedom and finally finding work at the Osan AB Messhall. (See Honcho Park).

When he was 15 years old, Pak Chan-yang뭩 life changed for the better. But it didn뭪 seem like it at the time, as he ran for his life.

It was early 1953 and the Korean War raged. The Paks were farmers in Unyulkun, a village in North Korea뭩 lush Hwanghae province. The teen had never been to school. Instead he worked the family뭩 small plot of land. That was all he knew. It was life under the yoke of communism.

The Paks hated communism. 밒t controlled us,?he said. 밯e wanted to be free.?br>
The fighting in the province grew fierce. Guerilla forces were active. And as North Korean and Chinese forces closed in, the Paks knew there would be retaliations. So they fled.

Pak Chan-Yang (2001) (Airmen Magazine)
They made a beeline west for the Yellow Sea. They joined a ragtag exodus of refugees going the same way. All hoped to make it to safety, somewhere. On their heels were the communists who뭗 been their masters since the end of World War II.

But the Paks were lucky. American ships waited at the coast to take the refugees to safety. The Paks boarded a huge landing craft. People crowded into every available space. None had any idea where they were going. But Pak said that didn뭪 matter.

밃ll we knew was that we뭗 never be able to go back home,?said Pak, now 63 and head chef at the dining facility at Osan Air Base, South Korea.

However, as he looked out over the sea, Pak did wonder what lay ahead. What would happen to his family. About the family left behind that he뭗 probably never see again.

밯e were scared,?he said. 밄ut in our hearts, we knew leaving was the right thing to do.?

Flight for life

The journey to the South was a desperate flight of survival. A trip made by hundreds of thousands of North Koreans. It was one of many sacrifices they뭗 make to better their lives.

Two days later, the ship docked at Kunsan City, and Pak뭩 new life in South Korea began. Within a few months, the fighting stopped. An armistice followed. Then both sides sat back to maintain the shaky cease-fire.

Pak뭩 family settled in Kunsan, and still live there. But the teen-ager knew he had to strike out on his own. What little money his father had would soon be gone. He뭗 been free six months when he heard the Americans were hiring people at Osan. He knew he had to go there.

밒t was the only way I could help myself and my family,?he said. 밒 had to go.?br>
So with the few won [Korean money] that his father had given him in his pocket, he left. The money didn뭪 last the trip, but he made it to Osan. What he saw amazed him.

The base was still under construction. And jets took off with a roar from its concrete runway. The landscape around the base was bare. There were no rice paddies or trees. No town or homes.

밒 had never seen anything like it before,?he said. 밄ut there was so much going on.?br>
Out of money and hungry, he joined the other people outside the base gate looking for work. He spoke no English and had no job skills. But he was determined. During the next three months, he lived day to day. If he got a meal a day, he was lucky. Many days he went hungry. He built a shack from cardboard boxes discarded from the base. But each time it rained he had to rebuild it. 밃nd it rained a lot,?he said.

Pak doesn뭪 like to dwell on that time. All he뭠l say is that it was a hard time. He got his break in January 1954 ?a job helping build the base dining facility. He had an income. Could eat regularly and send his family money.

Pak Chan-Yang (2001) (Airmen Magazine)
Pak Chan-Yang (2001) (Airmen Magazine)

When the dining facility opened, he stayed to work in the kitchen. Soon he developed a taste for roast beef and hamburgers. He뭩 been at Osan ever since, longer than any other worker. Forty-seven years later, 밐oncho?Pak ?as his co-workers call him ?is head chef at Osan뭩 award-winning Pacific House dining facility. He뭩 done every job there from cleaning the kitchen and sweeping floors to peeling potatoes, managing the storeroom and cooking.

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Pyeongtaek Area Developments In April 2001 the inauguration of the Tianjin, China container vessel line was held. This was followed by the July 2002 inauguration of the Shanghai (China), Hong Kong, and Hai Phonh (Viet Nam) container vessel lines. In January 2003 the inauguration of Wei hai Port, Shandong-sheng container vessel line was held.

Pyeongtaek Harbor Container Facility Opened (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

On 16 July 2001 the Kyonggi Pyeongtaek Port Corporation was established. The organization is a cooperative between the Pyongtaek City government and Daejoo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.; Youngin Enterprises Co., Ltd.; Uryeon Transport Co., Ltd.; and Janggeum Merchant Marines Co., Ltd. Its main business is the operation of two berths on the west pier; installing and operating Harbor logistics facilities; and attracting private capital for pier development.

Inauguration of Pyeongtaek International Ferry. (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

Ferry Ship Capae Lee Ho. (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

The construction of the International Passenger Terminal (Address 570 Maho-ri Poseung-myeon Pyeongtaek-si Gyeonggi-do) was completed in August 2001 on 29,740 sq meter land with 4,922 sq meter building space. Tenants included the Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek Port Corporation and CIQ (harbor support organizations).

The route was from Pyeongtaek to Roncheng City, Shandong Province, China (210 miles). The car ferry was operated by Daryeong Marine Co., Ltd. and the ship had capacity for 850 passengers/150 TEU.

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Development of Industrial Zones Kyonggi had over 670 successful foreign businesses operating within its boundaries, including Motorola. It also has a well-developed automotive industry, represented by Kia Motors which has been newly-taken over by Hyundai, and by Ssangyong Motors, which has been taken over by Daewoo, as well as many auto parts manufacturers including the Daewoo automobile plant in the metropolitan area. In addition, with 37 percent of Korea’s high-tech businesses including international semiconductor and electronics companies such as Samsung, Hyundai, LG, and Daewoo, plus small- and medium-sized businesses specializing in heavy equipment, parts, and biotechnology products, Kyonggi Province is the ideal location for investing in high-tech and technology-intensive industries.

Pyeongtaek Lucky Goldstar Factory (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

The West Coast of Korea contains the largest small- and medium-enterprise-specialized complexes of Banweol/ Sihwa National Industrial Complex and Seongnam/Songtan/Anseong 1&2/Pyeongtak Regional Industrial Complex. These serve as the largest base for small and medium enterprises in Korea accompanied with local economic development. Over 5600 enterprises in Banweol and Sihwa, the central areas in West Coast Industrial Belt — together with over 500 enterprises in Seongnam; over 110 enterprises in Anseong complex No. 1 & 2; over 210 enterprises in Songtan Pyeongtak and Cheonan Complex Exclusive for Foreign Enterprises. (Source: E-cluster Information) Industrial zones
Asan National Indudstrial Complex (Wonjeong-district) (Pyeongtaek area) 6,564,000 sq meters Completed Unknown. (Source: Industryland.)

Asan National Industrial Complex (Poseung District) (Poseung-myeon, Pyeongtaek) 6,325,887 sq meters In work – Unknown (Source: Industryland.)

Poseung National Industrial Zone (Pyeongtaek and Asan) 6,685,000 sq meters 1992-2001 65 tenants // Applied meals, petro- chemilcals, wood, automobiles, iron, food and beverage(F&B)

Poseung Logistics Zone 957,000 sq meters 1992-2001

Chupal Local Industrial complex (Chupal-ri, Pyeongtaek) 609,999 sq meters 1993-1998 52 tenants // Automobile, primary Metals, F&B (Source: Industryland)

Anjung 1 Regional Industrial Zone 1,069,000 sq meters 1993-2000 87 tenants // Applied metals, auto- Mobiles, machinery, petrochemical

Anjung 2 Regional Industrial Zone 1,567,000 sq meters 1993-2000 45 tenants // Machinery, electronics, Electrical, F&B
Hyeongok Regional Industrial Zone 729,000 sq meters 1993-2000 45 tenants // Electronics, semi- conductors, electrical, computers, F&B (Source: Invest Korea)

Eoyeon-Hansan Local Industrial Complex (Eoyeon-ri/Hansan-ri, Cheongbuk-myeon, Pyeontaek) 689,700 sq meters 1993-1998 55 tenants // Electronics, semi- conductors, electrical, (Source: KISC.)

Eoyeon-Hansan Industrial Zone (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

Chilgoe Local Industrial Complex (Chilkoi Local Industrial Complex) (Chilwon-dong/Chilgoe-dong, Pyeongtaek) 679,800 sq meters 1994-1997 25 tenants Automobile, machinery, Electronics (Source: KICOX.)

Jangdang Local Industrial Complex (Jangdang-dong, Pyeongtaek — Adjacent to Pyeongtaek-Songtan Local Industrial Complex) 148,500 sq meters 1994-1997 5 tenants // Automobile, electronic Machinery, F&B (Source: Industryland.)
Pyeongtaek-Songtan Local Industrial Complex (Mokgok-dong, Pyeongtaek — Adjacent to Jangdang Local Industrial Complex) 1,086,289 sq meters Completed – Unknown. (Source: Industryland.)

Songtan Industrial Zone (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

Pyeongtaek Local Industrial Complex (Segyo-dong, Pyeongtaek) 534,798 sq meters Completed – Unknown. (Source: Industryland.)

Foreign Investment incentives:
Reduction of national and local taxes: – National taxes: 10 years (100% for the first 7 years, and 50% for an additional 3 years)
Reduction of Local Taxes: 100% for 15 years
Rental of state land including national industrial parks at 1% of the total cost of the land In Foreign Investment Zone, up to 100% rental may be exempted depending on the investment amount
Designation of the investment area as a Foreign Investment Zone for large scale FDI Projects
Tax reduction incentives on foreign capital goods for investment and industrial facilities
Corporate and income tax incentives for importing or supplying technology.

Business investing on a large-scale will be given special incentives including designation of the investment areas as a Foreign Investment Zone, foundation facilities, financial support to help cover development costs and tax reductions – Criteria : a) Companies investing at least USD 50 million. b) Companies that hold at least 50% of the shares in the invested company and have at least 1,000 full-time employees c) Companies investing aat least USD30 million and having at least 300 full-time employees in all or part of a national or local industrial complex. Criteria of renting or purchasing state property
- Rent : 50~100% deduction for companies that invest USD 5~20 million and companies that create 100~300 new jobs (1% land price)
- Purchase : Foreign companies moving into a Foreign Investment Zone, companies investing over USD 500 million and companies that have between 500~1000 full-time employees will receive a 25~100% reduction in land price
- Purchasing in installments : When purchasing local government property, the purchase price can be paid over a 20 year period at an annual interest rate of 4% Industrial complexes :
- When moving into a national or regional industrial complex, companies will receive 100% exemption from land acquisition tax and registration tax- Property taxes and aggregate land taxes will be reduced by 50% one year.
(Source: Kyeonggi Province.)

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2002:
Population (2002) — Pyongtaek: 362,507 (Source: Population: Korea)

Seojong Elementary School Assemby (2002) (Seojong Elementary 80th Anniversary Book (2003))
Seojong Elementary Students in class (2002) (Seojong Elementary 80th Anniversary Book (2003))

The following photos are by an Unknown Photographer (edbestworldnetattnet) at the Webshots.com: I’m Stationed in Korea. (NOTE: We wish to contact this photographer to credit him/her properly. We think the person belonged to the 51st CES while stationed at Osan AB.) The following photos are general shots off-base in general.

Shinjang Mall and Filipina (2002) (Unknown) (NOTE: A guestbook entry said that the girl on the left used the name “Racquel.”)
Shinjang Mall (15 July 2002) (Unknown)

Mikes All-Seasons Shop (NOTE: This shop has been a landmark on the mall since the 1970s.) (15 July 2002) (Unknown)
Shinjang Mall (15 July 2002) (Unknown)

Silk Painting on Street (a landmark shop) (2002) (Unknown)
Shinjang Mall (PC Bang) (15 July 2002) (Unknown)

Shinjang Shopping Mall (15 July 2002) (Unknown)
Overpass Street Outside Gate (15 July 2002) (Unknown)

Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)
Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)

Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)
Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)

Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)
Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)

Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)
Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)

Songtan Farmers Open Market (2002) (Unknown)

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Korea cohosts 2002 World Cup Due to a political move to foster friendship between Korea and Japan, the 2002 World Cup was cohosted by Korea and Japan. It was a political fiasco. The opening ceremonies turned into a battle as to who would hold the first game. Then the visit of Emporer Akihito to Korea — the first ever — was cancelled for fear of demonstrations. The North Koreans in turn used the World Cup to stir up Unification frenzy — but at the same time used the games to extort monies from the South. To top it all off, there was rampant anti-Americanism inherent in the games, but the ROK attempted to mask it in the press.

Go to 2002 World Cup for accounts of the US-Korea game as well as anti-Americanism during the games. But the account also describes the phenomena that swept the nation — nationalism and pride mixed into one. The “Red Devils” team became synonymous to Korea. It was an awesome display that could only be described as a once in a lifetime experience.

World Cup in Seoul (US vs Korea) (2002) (Unknown (edbestworldnetattnet))
World Cup in Seoul (US vs Korea) (2002) (Unknown (edbestworldnetattnet))

World Cup in Seoul (US vs Korea) (2002) (Unknown (edbestworldnetattnet))
World Cup in Seoul (US vs Korea) (2002) (Unknown (edbestworldnetattnet))

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The following photos are a combination of photos by Jack Terwiel and an unknown photographer. The photos by Jack Terwiel are at the Osan Retired Activities Office. The photos of the an Unknown Photographer (edbestworldnetattnet) are at the Webshots.com: I’m Stationed in Korea. (NOTE: We wish to contact this photographer to credit him/her properly. We think the person belonged to the 51st CES while stationed at Osan AB.) The following photos are general shots of the base in general.

Main Gate (2002) (USAF Photo)
Burger King and Osan HS (2002) (Jack Terwiel)

Burger King and AF Village (2002) (Jack Terwiel)
(2002) (Unknown)

BX and view of new BX location on left corner of Broadway (2002) (Jack Terwiel)
Old BX (2002) (Unknown)

Community Bank (Torn down for new BX) (2002) (Jack Terwiel)
Theater (2002) (Jack Terwiel)

Theater (2002) (Jack Terwiel)
Mig Alley Bowling Center (2002) (Unknown)

Turmuli Lodge (2002) (Jack Terwiel)
Dorms on Broadway (2002) (Jack Terwiel)

Red Horse Static Display (2002) (Unknown)
51st CES Compound Sign (2002) (Unknown)

Osan AB Air Show: Traditional Dancers (2002) (USAF Photo)
Osan AB Air Show: Traditional Dancers (2002) (Unknown)

Aero Club Osan AB Flyover (2002) (Courtesy Tony Cruz)

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Anti-Americanism Rages in Korea Korea experienced some of the worst anti-American protests ever seen because of an accident that occurred that killed two Middle School girls in June 2002. The country raised itself to a fever pitch and everyone from children to teachers to businessmen to pastors to housewives turned against the Americans. Candlelight vigils were held throughout the country for the girls. When the USFK exerted jurisdiction because there was a “line of duty” determination as specified in the SOFA Agreement, there were violent protests in Seoul and in Uijongbu/Tongduchon. Throughout the country there were candlelight vigils to protest the deaths. On the coat tails of this furor, President Roh was elected to the Presidency. As soon as he took office in Feb 2003, he calmed down the violent protests. Songtan however, was relatively quiet and the bar owners remained the friends of the GIs.

(See Protests: Background for details on Roots of anti-Americanism in 2002; Girls death in June 2002; anti-Americanism explodes in Korea; anti-War movement takes lead. See Subtopics for aother topics dealing with the anti-American demonstrations.)

(See Yongsan Relocation for links and articles dealing with Yongsan relocation that also fueled protests.)
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USFK Accused of Abetting Human Trafficking (Jul 2002) An April 2002 report by a Fox News affiliate alleged U.S. military members and military police patrols were patronizing bars in South Korea where women from the Philippines and Russia had been forced into the sex trade.

In response, the Helsinki Commission chairman, Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., and 12 other members of Congress requested an immediate Pentagon investigation. This started the ball rolling. Investigator Joseph E. Schmitz found that military patrols were sometimes overly friendly with bar owners and often didn’t report cases of sex slavery and prostitution because of a misperception that they could only report them if they had hard evidence. The report said that because of this misperception, “commanders sometimes did not take the necessary steps to place establishments off-limits.” It recommended more education to help U.S. troops identify possible instances of human trafficking.

The US military was a “soft target” that couldn’t fight back and the human rights activists cornered the military — especially after revelations of UN peace keepers also engaging in sex in Bosnia and Serbia followed by the rape scandals at the military academies along with accusations of sexual assaults and rapes in the military. The die was cast.

After July 2002, every newspaper in the world had jumped on the bandwagon to condemn the US military. The cross-hairs were drawn on the Songtan bars FIRST with their Russian bar girls telling of horrid stories of being trapped into sexual slavery — and then to the Pyongtaek bars with heart-rending stories of sexual abuse by Philippine women. (See A-town and Prostitution for the news stories.)

However, the newspapers missed the whole focus as who was the culprit. The soldiers did not create the problem — the ROK did. The bar owners sought out the cheap labor of foreign bargirls (through contract agencies) when Korean bargirls no longer wanted to work in the camptown bar rows. These Korean bargirls could make more money in Korean bars where high-spending Koreans were to be found. The bar owners then turned to obtaining foreign bargirls through contract agencies abroad.

The Philippine women were preferred for camptown bars because of their English speaking ability, while Russian women (Russia, Uzbekistan, Kahzahstan, Moldova and other former Soviet bloc countries) were sought after because of their “round eye” looks. But the bottomline for both was that they were “cheap labor.” Just as the Koreans had gone out to import foreign labor from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Burma and elsewhere to do the “3-D” jobs (Dirty, Dangerous and Demeaning) — so did Korea go out to get foreign bargirls to fill the niche camptown market that the Korean bargirls spurned.

Unfortunately along the way, the political issue of human trafficking became tangled with the moral issue of prostitution. The UN convention on human trafficking was signed by the US, but NOT by the ROK. It was a political issue to get the ROK to clean up its act on an international stage. The USFK was attempting to solve a problem over which it had no control. The situation of human trafficking in the bars was a result of the ROK policy to grant E-6 entertainer visas in order to promote the sex industry in Korea. Korea had been repeatedly identified as a MAJOR trafficker in human flesh by international Human Rights groups. In Korea the sex industry accounts for about 2.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (NOTE: Other ROK reports state that it is 4.0 percent of GDP — about $22 billion annually.) The human trafficking problem was a political issue under the purview of the ROK Ministry of Justice.

The prostitution issue was created when the Korean bar owners stepped over the line in the mid-1990s. At that time, they converted the “bar fine” system used to make up for lost wages of a bargirl who left the bar early, into a system whereby the bar fines were used as payments for prostitution. They were no longer bar owners, but brothel operators. But again the problem was NOT in the hands of the USFK to solve. Though prostitution has been prohibited by law since 1948, the ROK chose to “regulate” prostitution in the redlight districts and “special tourism zones” (camptowns) in the 1960s rather than combat it. The prostitution problem was the purview of the Korean National Police.

However, the USFK had been backed into a corner and Gen LaPorte testified before Congress that actions would be taken to resolve the problem. USFK officials said they had embarked on an aggressive program to combat the sex trade and human trafficking. Among other initiatives: increasing both uniformed and nonuniformed patrols in known sex-trade enclaves; putting suspect establishments and even entire neighborhoods on “off limits” lists; and creating a human trafficking hotline for servicemembers to report suspected cases. (NOTE: ROK Civic NGO activists in 2005 stated that all the preceeding actions were examples of do-nothing “eyewash” and the situation had NOT improved.)

Up in the DMZ Area I in 2002, there was a different attitude altogether in attacking the problem where the Army relied on “education” to make soldiers aware of human trafficking — but at Osan AB and Kunsan AB, the wing commanders took direct action using curfews and off-limit sanctions to attempt to enforce the “morality issue.” The 51st Wing Commander and Area IV commander tackled the problem head on by issuing a General Order that was punitive in nature banning all soldiers and airmen in his area from paying bar fines in 2003. It would be three more years before this issue came to a head in 2005.

Russian bargirl at Golden Gate (2002)

(SOURCE: A-town Pages)

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$180 Million Improvement Project at Osan (Nov 2002) According to the PACAF News on Nov. 25, 2002 more than $180 million worth of projects were to improve quality of life on Osan. One of the biggest projects underway is the repair of the Osan water distribution system where a major water line is being replaced. The 51st Civil Engineer Squadron construction management section, in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers is spearheading this and the other improvement projects.The estimated completion date for the water distribution project is September 2003.

As Air Force senior leaders concentrate on improving the infrastructure of Osan, they are also working to help Osan meet the criteria for all dorm standards with the construction of six new dormitories on base. The base obligated over $70 million and expected to have 39 enlisted dorms at Osan by 2005. The seven projects are: two enlisted dorms near the Challenger Club; two enlisted dorms near the golf course; one enlisted dorm near the ball fields; one enlisted dorm near the Class Six and the officer dorm adjacent to the officers club.

Chong Gyu-sik paves cement cover (18 Nov 2002) (USAF Photo)
The officer dorm is a 69-person facility, and the ball field dorm, along with the other enlisted dorm projects are 156-person dorms constructed to the Air Force 1-plus-1 standard. The two golf course dorms near the Gingko Tree will break ground in the next few weeks, which will be the first five-story dorms on Osan.

A $28 million project was the five-story 350-room visiting airman뭩 facility. It includes eight distinguished visitor suites (one of which is handicap accessible) and four handicapped accessible standard rooms. The remaining 338 rooms are exactly the same and will be available to everyone regardless of rank.

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Downsizing Military and Win-Lose Situation: (Jan 2002) Throughout the world the American military was scaling down — starting first in Europe. In the early-1990s, America rethought its force strength policies. It proposed a “win-win” scenario in which it would be able to fight and win two regional conflicts at the same time. It then attempted to align it forces along these lines. However, by the mid-1990s, it became apparent that the policy would result in a “win-lose” situation — where America could only win on one front.

By 1996, doomsayers were stating that it was a “lose-lose” policy where America had cut so deeply into its troop strengths that it could not win in either location if confronted with two conflicts at once. There was a frantic rush to increase military funding, but some argued it may have been too late. The cuts had gone too deep. In 2000, the military still mouthed the “win-win” philosophy and promises to deliver an additional 690,000 troops to Korea in the event of an attack. Only in 2002 did the DoD announce that it had a win-on-one-front policy meaning that they could win one war, but the other would have to be a holding action at best. This brought into question the US promise to the ROK that it would provide 640,000 follow-ons in case the North attacked. The US was struggling with a new concept called the Global Positioning Strategy to create a smaller, more flexible military and how to make it a reality.

In the face of these depressing realities, the 51st Fighter Wing tightened its belt and pressed on. Its job was not to worry about military policy. Its job was to fight and win…and it exercised to this end disregarding all the nay-sayers. It practiced and practiced its war scenarios until there were fine-tuned.

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2003:

Seojong Elementary Students in class (2003) (Seojong Elementary 80th Anniversary Book (2003))
Seojong Elementary Playground (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)

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1Lt Jaehun Lee Volunteering to teach English to Kim Shee-eun and Pak Seul-gee (Apr 2003) (USAF)

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Songtan Good Neighbor (May 2003) After the horrendous anti-Americanism of 2002, the USFK started the “Good Neighbor Policy” to promote good will between the USFK and Korean populace. However, because of the complications of international events (human trafficking and world terrorism) sometimes mixed messages were being sent out. Regardless, there were people who have always stood behind the US military and thought of the Americans as their friends.

An an award ceremony was hosted by USFK Commander General LaPorte to honor good neighbors of the USFK community. (See Korean good neighbors recognized with first-ver award on 12 May 2003.) Winners of the first-ever United States Forces Korea Good Neighbor Award were honored in a recognition ceremony at Dragon Hill Lodge.

According to Gen. Leon LaPorte, commander, UNC/CFC/USFK, and the architect of USFK’s Good Neighbor Program, the award was established to honor and recognize Korean citizens and organizations who have generously given their time and efforts to support activities that foster good will, mutual respect and better understand between the two nations.”We gather to honor and to also celebrate a friendship that has existed for over 50 years,” he told the ceremony’ attendees. “The people we are honoring (with the Good Neighbor Award) represent why the friendship between the Republic of Korea and the United States has persisted for over five decades.”

LaPorte went on to say that the five awardees enhanced the quality of life for both U.S. servicemembers and Korean citizens. “Through their proactive actions they demonstrate all that is good in our common community,” he said. “We thank them for richly supporting the time honored institutions of friends, neighbors and allies.” Dr. Ahn, Byung Hyup and Mrs. Sohn, Yong Ok of Taegu jointly received the Good Neighbor Award for serving the ROK/U.S. alliance for nearly 30 years.

Mr. Yi, Kyong Chu, chairman of the Songtan Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Songtan Merchant’s Association, received the award for furthering mutual respect and understanding in the Osan area. “Mr. Yi’s personal effort has greatly improved the relationship between the Osan community and the servicemembers,” said LaPorte. “His actions go beyond the normal call of civic duty as he devotes his heart to strengthening our alliance.” (SITE NOTE: Mr. Yi is more commonly known as “Kasey Lee” whose tailor shop is across from the 7-11 store in the Shinjang Mall.)

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Shop Owners Defend GIs from Radical Anti-American Protestors (May 2003) The following article appeared in the Korea Times on 21 May 2003 in reaction to the anti-American demonstrations that were taking place. Though relatively peaceful when compared to Seoul or other places, the demonstrations were bad for business.

Retailers Set Up Squad to Defend US Soldiers
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter

Retailers doing business in front of the Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, plan to organize a squad to defend U.S. soldiers from anti-American protesters.

“Quite a number of people have agreed to form a group to fight against radicals who often stage rallies in front of the base,” Songtan Chamber of Commerce chairman Lee Kyong-chu told The Korea Times.

“The move is aimed at providing our customers with a safe environment. This is also for our own interests. Most stores here have seen a drop in sales because of the protesters, who often stage violent demonstrations.”

Lee explained some of the owners of 500 stores in the area are willing to join the group because about 95 percent of their profits come from American soldiers in the air base and their families.

“We can’t sit idle while our interests are being threatened by the radicals,” he said.

Student activists have staged rallies in front of the base almost every week since last year’s court martial acquittal of two American soldiers whose armored vehicle accidentally killed two Korean schoolgirls in Uijongbu, north of Seoul.

The protests have caused American soldiers and their families shy away from the district, damaging the businesses in the area, Lee said.

Street brawls have often broken out between student activists and local merchants trying to prohibit them from holding rallies, he said.

“Some left-wing parties are using the armored vehicle incident to increase their political clout,” Lee said, adding that most U.S. soldiers and their families are decent and valuable customers.

Their action comes as business prospects are looking up in Osan, Pyongtaek and Songtan after reports that South Korea and the U.S. agreed to relocate bases in Seoul and north of Seoul to the areas. Since then, apartment prices in the three areas have soared while an increasing number of retailers have moved from Uijongbu and Tongduchon to these areas, according to the National Statistics Office.

Civic activists, who have been demanding South Korean courts be given jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers committing crimes while on duty, criticized the retailers of starting a movement that “could eventually harm the national pride and interests.”

“It could effectively increase their profits in the short-term,” Movement for Prevention of Crimes by U.S. Soldiers spokesperson Hong Min-young said. “I want them to listen to voices from students who have been trying to restore independence from U.S. military protection. Also, they don’t have the right to prevent the rallies that are staged in accordance with laws.”

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ROK Developments “Yellow dust” is an annual occurrance, but in Apr 2002, it was especially bad. Schools in Seoul, South Korea, are closed as a huge dust cloud blows in from China뭩 fast-spreading deserts, some 1,200 kilometers away. People took to wearing of surgical masks but respiratory disease mounted until the dust storms subsided. (Source: Howard W. French, “China’s Growing Deserts Are Suffocating Korea,” New York Times, 14 April 2002.)

Korea ranked 28th among the world’s 62 major countries in terms of globalization last year, marking a three-notch rise from 2001, according to a poll by U.S. diplomacy magazine “Foreign Policy.” Korea’s ranking in the globlalization index rose from 31st in 2002 to 28th, compared with Taiwan (34th), Japan (35th) and China (51st). KOTRA attributed the country’s rise in the globalization index to the widespread use of the Internet, peackeeping operations and technological competitiveness.

Trade between South and North Korea increased last year, recording $560 million between January and the end of last November – up 56.5 percent from the same period in 2001 ($360 million). The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Ministry of Unification said factors such as construction work on the borders and northbound food support from the South contributed to the unusually large growth.
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Pyeongtaek City Environmental Concerns with TKP and SNP Pipelines In 1971 the US constructed the TKP (Trans-Korea Pipeline) from Pohang to Seoul. The TKP was extended from Seoul to Uijongbu in 1982. The use of the old pipeline was based upon a 1964 ROK Government/US Government International Petroleum Agreement whereby the US was guaranteed the right to bring fuel into Korea. The US paid for fuel brought in for own use, while the ROK paid for US defense reserves. There was no expiration date on the Pre-SOFA – pre-pipeline treaty.

Osan AB Pollution in canals from base (2001). (Pyeongtaek City) (Source: Pyeongtaek History (CD), Pyeongtaek Si Sa)

In 1992, the US transferred TKP operations and ownership to the ROK government (Ministry of Defense (MND)) via a 3-year MOA (FASC Task 2803). In 1993 the MND closed the TKP (Seoul To Uijongbu) due to environmental concerns. In 1996, the MND – USFK signed 3-year extension to MOA. Plans were made to close the TKP. In 1996-7 a Commercial SNP pipeline was completed. A Working group was formed to consider options for transferring operations to SNP. In Aug 2000, the MND and USFK signed the Technical Plan for follow-on support. The TKP was to be closed by Sep 2002. Between Jan – Mar 2002, an agreement was reached on financial aspects of the two connections from the Tech Plan. By Sep 2002, construction of the connections was 85% complete. Continuing negotiations for services needed in order to finish closing the TKP. Military and civilian resources and assistance are provided by the ROK for the reception, onward movement, and sustainment of US forces, in times of crisis, hostilities, or war, as set forth in agreements between the US and ROK governments under Wartime Host Nation Support (WHNS). (Source: Defense Energy Support Center POL Slide

The environmental concerns for Pyeongtaek with the old TKP pipeline was that it had deteriorated significantly since the 1970s when it was first built and the pre-SOFA agreement precluded damages being filed against the US for leakage or spills from the pipeline. The TKP pipeline operated by the USFK was transferred to the ROK in 1992 but the problem with compensation for spills still remained.

In 2000 there was a major POL spill in the Pyeongtaek area according to Pyeongtaek City sources. Pyeongtaek City claimed the spill originated from Onbase and 25 protestors formed at the Main Gate of Osan AB. Accoring to the Pyeongtaek, the base authorities claimed the POL products found in offbase canals was a result of rain runoff. There was no resolution to this dispute.

As such it was an environmental concern of the Pyeongtaek authorities. The new commercial SNP (Seoul National Pipeline) — built and operated by DOPCO (Daehan Oil Pipeline Corporation) — was put into operation in 2003 alleviated most of Pyeongtaek’s environmental concerns — though the agencies continued to monitor closely the POL storage at K-55 and K-6 for spills. In addition, changes to the SOFA to address ROK environmental concerns have brought about closer cooperation between the base and ROK environmental authorities. (Source: Pyeongtaek City History CD, “Pyeongtaek Si Sa.” and DOPCO)
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Buildup in Korea over Nuclear Dispute with North To prevent or minimize a North Korean response the United States might also opt to strike command and control locations as well as artillery emplacements that threaten US troops and South Korean targets including Seoul. Missile garrisons could also be targeted to remove the threat to Japan and the southern areas of the ROK. Depending on the aircraft used, the United States might also have to suppress North Korean air defenses surrounding critical targets, an effort that would be difficult. This presents an additional problem of creating a target list so large that it might be just as simple for the United States to aim for the liberation of North Korea rather than the more limited strikes.

Static display at Osan AB: A-10, F-15E, F-16 (F-117 Not Shown) (17 Mar 03) (PACAF News)

This buildup was under the guise of the Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration (RSOI) and Foal Eagle exercises — but all knew it was part of the game to impress the North Koreans that the US was serious about its nuclear weapons. There was a static display set up for more than 500 government officials, community leaders, media representatives, Republic of Korea Air Force Operation Command personnel and their families on 17 Mar 2003 from 1-4 pm at Osan AB. Guests took opportunities to take photos and talk the pilots of the A-10 Thunderbolt, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C Fighting Falcon and the F-117 Nighthawk. (Source: PACAF News Service.)
The deployment of additional assets to the South Korea and Guam in early March 2003 brought a great deal of capability to the region that would be usefull if the United States were to conduct surgical strikes. On February 28, 2003 twelve B-52Hs and twelve B-1Bs were ordered to deploy to Andersen Air Force Base at Guam. On March 10 the 3rd Fighter Wing deployed roughly twenty-four F-15Es and 800 airmen from the 90th Fighter Squadron to Osan Air Force Base. On March 14 six F-117s from the 49th Fighter Wing arrived at Kunsan Air Base.

These forces would be sufficient to carry out a number of strikes. Each of the above aircraft had the ability to deliver precision guided munitions, specifically the Joint Direct Attack Munition. The twenty-four F-15E Strike Eagle’s could deliver a total of 96 JDAMs (4 per aircraft), the F-117s could deliver 12 JDAMs (2 per aircraft), the B-1B Lancer’s could deliver 288 JDAMs (24 per aircraft), and the B-52H’s could deliver 216-360 JDAMs (18 per aircraft and depending on the use of external implacements). If all of these assets were used the United States would have had the ability to strike between 612 and 756 aim points.

This of course did not include the B-2 Spirit, deploying either from Whiteman Air Force Base or from Guam. Each B-2 can carry 16 2,000lb JDAMs. As the B-2 is usually involved in the first strikes of a campaign it is likely that the aircraft would be used. Any estimates on the number of B-2s that would be used in a strike against North Korea would be highly speculative. Previous operations, specifically Afghanistan and Iraq used anywhere from 2 to 4 aircraft.

The inclusion of assets normally stationed at Kunsan and Osan Air Bases will only slightly increase the total number of JDAMs that could be used as only two of the three F-16 squadrons. The 35th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan, is an F-16CD Block 40 that has been updated so that it can use the JDAM. The 80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan flies the Block 30 F-16CD but has been upgraded so that it can use laser-guided munitions and on July 8, 2003 the 80th demonstrated upgrades that allow its aircraft to deliver JDAMs. The 36th Fighter Squadron has no such capability.

The inclusion of the 35th Fighter Squadron and 80th Fighter Squadrons in any surgical strike will add 192 JDAMs to the total of 800 to 944 aim points.

Finally, the US has a number of ships and submarines available that can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. As of mid-June the United States had two carrier strike groups in the Asia-Pacific region consisting of roughly 15 ships. Excluding the aircraft carriers there were two Ticonderoga class cruisers, three Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, two Spruance class destroyers, and four Oliver Hazard Perry guided missile frigates. [This did not include the ships at Pearl Harbor.]

The Kitty Hawk and elements of its strike group returned to Yokosuka in early May and began an extended period of maintenance making the Kitty Hawk unavailable until sometime in November at the earliest. The readiness of the rest of the strike group was difficult to determine as some ships had undoubtedly begun yard periods while others had not. There are 466 VLS cells capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The USS Carl Vinson and an element of its strike group was deployed to the area to insure a credible deterrent while the Kitty Hawk was deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and while it underwent repairs upon its return. During its deployment the Carl Vinson conducted operations in multiple areas in the Pacific including off the coast of South Korea. While it conducted operations in the South Pacific elements of its strike group could be retasked for maritime interdiction operations. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group has 307 VLS cells capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Determining what strikes against North Korea would look like or consist of is dependent on whether the target list is limited to WMD facilities or if it includes other targets such as surface-to-air missile batteries, air defense radars, and command and control locations. The degree of risk to the pilots may also play a role in deciding how large or small the raids would have been.

A strike against North Korea could have consisted of a number of land attack missile being launched by cruisers, destroyers and submarines striking fixed targets throughout the country. With EA-6B Prowlers, staging from either of the two aircraft carriers, suppressing North Korean radar emissions and communications B-2 and F-117 stealth aircraft could penetrate North Korean airspace proceeding to strike high priority targets as other heavy bombers, such as B-1Bs and B-52s, begin striking other targets.

By late May to early June 2003 nearly all of the aircraft that had been sent to South Korea or Guam in support of exercises or to bolster the US deterrent had returned to the United States. The situation again returned to the status quo of North Korea retaining its weapons but no longer threatening mass destruction. (Source: GlobalSecurity.org: Oplan 5026)

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Top Left: Ammo Slips Top Right: Dan after snows; Middle Left: Munitions area gate; Middle Right: Ammo Site Guard Tower; Bottom Left: Munitions Area Gate; Bottom Right: Preload Area
(2003) (Unknown: Quezdog)

Patriot PAC-3 Missile Site (2003) (Unknown: Quezdog)

Problems in CADS Munitions Storage and Resupply The following are excerpts from AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE, AIR UNIVERSITY, CONTAINERIZED AMMUNITION DELIVERY SYSTEM IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA: A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE SHORTFALLS AND LOGISTICAL INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS by Michael S. Moore, Major, USAF in 2000. The report deals with the Containerized Ammunition Delivery System (CADS) and the inadequacies of the Osan AB area. It stated that the railhead was totally inadequate because it was “unsitable” — meaning it could not pass the specifications for safety. The railhead passes through Shinjang-dong and is in close proximity to people and housing and cannot meet legal and safety standards. Extreme measures could be taken to evacuate the areas and lower the amounts of explosives transported through the area at any one time, but the reduction would only allow for a relatively low amount of NEW (Net Explosive Weight) capacity at the railhead at one time. In other words, one could waiver all the safety aspects away but it still would not increase the amount of munitions being transported significantly.

Osan AB was reviewed by both teams and its railhead deficiencies are representative of the other USAF MOBs/COBs. Osan뭩 conditions are cited here to illustrate the extreme measures necessary to legally, and safely, use these deficient railheads for CADS operations. At Osan, the munitions railhead is insufficient because continued local construction has narrowed the clear zone to approximately three hundred feet. This persistent encroachment has negated any opportunity to site the railhead for CADS operations. As a result, the Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board declared this railhead 뱔nsitable?in April 1997 and it remains unsited despite multiple waiver requests.10 The inability to use this railhead for munitions operations adversely impacts Osan뭩 ability to support high-volume ISO reception via CADS.

Legally, Osan뭩 wing leadership cannot authorize use of the base뭩 current railhead site for CADS without a waiver from the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Commander. To apply for a waiver, the leadership must consider all possible measures to ensure the safety of the affected personnel, perform a risk assessment with these measures in place, and forward this request to the approving authority. To solve the encroachment problem, the wing commander could consider establishing a temporary clear zone during CADS operations. However, even a minimal seventy-five thousand pound NEW capacity capable of supporting as few as two railcars, would require a 1724-foot clear zone. This clear zone would impact a large civilian population, increase the risks to aircraft arm and dearm operations, close some base messing facilities, and displace hundreds of dormitory occupants. Overall, this temporary evacuation would involve thousands of people and adversely compromise base operations while the ISOs are downloaded.
Not accepting shipments is an unacceptable solution as there is no secure site in Chinhae port or along the Korean National Railway system. The mounting backlogs would create havoc. To accept the shipments, also causes havoc. It is a Catch-22 scenario.

Due to storage and safety concerns, ROK port authorities will not allow the seven million plus pounds of NEW (table 1) to accumulate at Chinhae pier. Joint Pub 4-01.7 directs theater logisticians to “ensure that containers arriving in theater are promptly discharged and rapidly moved forward to the central receiving and shipping point or their final destination.” Therefore, the ship’s ammunition containers will be processed to receiving bases as rapidly as possible.
If they tried to move the ISO containers by truck, the bases STILL meet other problems. Even if the USAF rail restrictions regarding ISO throughput could be alleviated by contracting sufficient truck chassis and drivers, every USAF base faces a more significant throughput restriction ?a lack of sited ISO pads. In other words, even if they munitions were trucked in, there is not enough approved storage pads (ISO sited). Even the writer of the report agrees that there are NO good solutions to this problem.

Whether the ISOs travel by rail or by truck chassis, every USAF base in the ROK lacks the capacity and the siting to handle the expected flow of ISOs. Without specifically designed and sited ISO pads, wing leaders would be forced to illegally accept greater than one million, two hundred fifty thousand pounds of NEW onto each base. This decision, while sustaining combat operations, will significantly increase safety risks to personnel. To avoid potential legal or safety ramifications, the wing leadership could perform a risk assessment and request a waiver from the HQ PACAF Commander. However, this waiver will not alleviate the physical risks involved with exposing base personnel to large stockpiles of munitions stored in areas not sited to handle the NEW.

Osan AB뭩 single large MSA outdoor holding pad is a clear example of the inadequate ISO container storage capability in place throughout the peninsula.24 Although its thirty thousand pound NEW-capacity may appear robust, this pad is only capable of storing a maximum of 32 MK-84 general-purpose two thousand pound bombs.25 Given this limitation, Osan AB munitions personnel could legally place only two ISO containers filled with a standard shipping load of 16 MK-84s on the pad. The restricted NEW at this pad, and the rest of Osan뭩 MSA, is due primarily to a lack of physical real estate available to the base and continuing encroachment by the local Korean population. Thus, there is not an expedient solution to permanently increase the size and/or the NEW capacity of this specific outdoor storage pad. In March 1998, the Seventh Air Force munitions team뭩 survey identified similar ISO pad deficiencies at every other USAF MOB/COB. The team concluded that no base has the NEW capacity to handle neither large-scale ISO operations nor the available land to solve the problem.27 The 1998 AFIA Eagle Look team also confirmed that the USAF base munitions-holding pads in the Korean theater were deficient. Their report cites 밿nadequate size, insufficient NEW capability, and insufficient weight bearing capability?at a majority of the holding pads as the primary factors leading them to conclude these sites were inadequate to support CADS.
In addition to unsuitable railheads, inadequate ISO storage, and weak road systems, the data indicate there is insufficient vehicle capability to support CADS operations at the base level. There are problems with 50K loaders tearing up the asphalt roads in transporting the containers over substandard ISO pad construction.

The Seventh Air Force team also compared each base뭩 outdoor holding areas against the ISO pad construction standard of reinforced concrete capable of supporting thirty thousand pounds per square foot ?none of the sites met the standard.29 The team뭩 concerns about substandard ISO pad construction were validated during the TC 99 exercise at Osan AB. During this exercise, a 50K all-terrain handler seriously damaged the asphalt holding pad by breaking through the surface and created deep ruts after moving less than 10 ISO containers.30 Since similarly constructed outdoor pads exist on all USAF MOBs/COBs, it follows that they too have the same limitations in ISO NEW storage ability, as well as insufficient weight bearing capability, making them equally unsuitable for CADS operations. These findings were briefed to the current PACAF Commander, General Gamble, on 21 January 2000 by the PACAF Munitions Division Chief stating that 뱊either Korean MOB [Osan or Kunsan AB] has ?an adequate container pad at either location to handle incoming munitions.?1 These findings highlight the systemic lack of ISO holding capacity in the ROK. Furthermore, these reports confirm that the substandard ISO pad capability will severely constrain CADS operations.
51st Maintenance Squadron after action report, these 7.5-ton tractors are not capable of pulling more than one partially loaded 20 foot ISO/chassis combination at one time although the chassis itself is designed to carry two 20 foot ISOs simultaneously. Another limitation of the 7.5-ton tractors is that they are unable to pull the heavy loads involved in CADS movements up steep grades. This may be a critical failure since the Korean landscape is characterized by steep hills and these types of sharp inclines are found on many of the USAF bases in the ROK.

The paper cited more deficiencies, but it seems that this is a major concern for the leaders of Osan AB. Given that there is an Alpha site located 2 miles from the base, transportation of munitions becomes critical and the resupply more critical if there is an open conflict. Storage of munitions on Osan AB proper is limited and with the new construction, the options get slimmer. Given the problems that the ROK WRSA munitions (War Readiness Stock-Allies) was to be terminated in 2004 — and the ROK had taken no action, looking to the US to supply its munitions needs — this area could become very sticky in the future.

Speaking with tongue in cheek, there is a solution, but it would entail turning the golf course into one big outside ammunition storage pad…and that will never happen.
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51st FW Commander Tackles Prostitution Head-on (Apr 03) In April 2003, the Commander of the 51st FW, BG William Holland, at Osan issued an order that all military personnel “not to make payment, whether by cash or other payment means, for a bar fine.” The following is from the 2 May 2003 Mig Alley Flyer

Prosecution UCMJ pursues prostitution solicitors, ROK detains for off-base misconduct
By Lt. Col. Roger Bruce
51st Fighter Wing Staff Judge Advocate

Bar fines and prostitution have generated a lot of attention over the past year. It is an issue that has been taken very seriously by our command.

The Uniform Code of Military Justice has always prohibited soliciting prostitution. When presented with legally admissible evidence, the command has taken appropriate action.

In January, an Osan NCO paid a bar fine to a local club to take a Russian dancer from the club to have sexual intercourse. An NCO who witnessed the bar fine reported it to the first sergeant, and the solicitor received an Article 15 from his commander for the sexual crime. Commanders at Osan have a vigorous military justice program and have always taken proper action when presented with proof of misconduct. But command action at Osan hasn’t ended with a single Article 15.

An investigation revealed that three local nightclubs were engaging in the use of “bar fines” directly linked to the practice of prostitution. A “bar fine” occurs when a customer pays a club to obtain the companionship of a club employee; and in the case of these three clubs, the specific purpose of the bar fine was to engage in acts of prostitution. Based upon these facts and the clear connection between bar fines and prostitution, the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board at Osan recommended the three clubs (Yong Chon Club, Golden Gate Club, and Zone Club) be declared off-limits to all U.S. military personnel. The 51st Fighter Wing Commander Brig. Gen. William Holland agreed and ordered them off-limits.

Based upon the facts gathered in the investigation, Brig. Gen. Holland who is also the Area V commander issued an order prohibiting all U.S. military personnel stationed within Area V from paying “bar fines.” Area V includes, in relevant part, Osan Air Base and a three-kilometer perimeter around the base.

So, what does all this mean to military personnel? If you go to any of the clubs declared off-limits, you will be punished under the UCMJ. If you pay a bar fine for any purpose, you will be punished under the UCMJ. If you solicit the services of a prostitute, you will also be punished. When a United States military member pays a bar fine or solicits a prostitute, he or she brings discredit upon the U.S. Armed Forces and causes prejudice to good order and discipline. Nobody should be surprised that commanders will not tolerate bar fines or prostitution. The Osan NCO who paid the bar fine violated the UCMJ and our core values. He made us all look bad. He certainly wasn’t practicing “service before self,” and his commander properly punished him. Bottom line, Osan authorities have not and will not tolerate bar fines or prostitution. There is no “Osan exception” to our core values.

But, off-base misconduct can do more than wreck a military career. We should also never forget that we are subject to the criminal laws of the Republic of Korea under the Status of Forces Agreement. If you engage in misconduct in Korea, you may be subject to criminal prosecution by the ROK. An Osan airman is currently being prosecuted in Korean court based on a dispute he had with a Songtan businessman. Although the facts are being contested in court, the dispute apparently escalated into physical violence by both men. The airman struck the Korean in the face and caused injuries that required medical treatment. Although the airman contended he acted in self-defense, he is now facing serious charges and a very real possibility of lengthy confinement in a Korean prison. You should know that Korean law recognizes a much more narrow right of self-defense than we are used to enjoying in America. U.S. Forces Korea requested that the ROK waive jurisdiction over the case to the United States, and the local Korean prosecutor supported the U.S. request. However, the Ministry of Justice in Seoul declined the U.S. jurisdiction request and ordered the airman to stand trial in Korean court. The airman’s Korean trial is currently in progress, and he is on international hold, which requires him to stay in Korea until his case is resolved and any adjudged confinement is served. He was supposed to permanently change station in October but is now on indefinite hold.

In hindsight, I suspect this airman wished he had just walked away from the situation, which is the best advice any of us can follow when faced with such a dispute. Any member of our service who contemplates criminal conduct in Korea better think twice or he or she may face an unwanted extension of their one-year Korean tour under some less than favorable circumstances.
(OPINION): The article above gives the impression that in 2003 there was a UCMJ statute that dealt with solicitation for prostitution. There wasn’t. In 2003 there was NO such statute under the UCMJ. The statute dealing with prostitution dealt with a military member who was a prostitute or pimp — not a customer. So what was this “sexual crime” talked about in the article? It was a slight of hand trick. First, the 51st Wing Commander — followed by the 8th Wing Commander — laid out a general order to NOT pay a bar fine — buying a girl’s “ticket” to get her out of the bar for the night. If you paid a bar fine it was failure to obey a general order — an Article 92 offense. (NOTE: In mid-2004 the DoD announced with great fanfare that a proposed Article 134 change would address solicitation as an offense punishable by one year in prison and a dishonorable discharge. It was submitted for 2004 judicial review and the DoD expected it to be on the books in early 2005. As of May 2005, nothing more was heard of this UCMJ change.)

If one was married, there was an added UCMJ charge of adultery if there was consumation of sex — which is hard to prove unless one was caught in the act or confessed. However, in most cases, the subject was offered an Article 15 which was readily accepted. When Gen LaPorte reported to Congress on the actions of the USFK to combat human trafficking, he reported that of the 400 instances recorded between January and September 2004, most were dealt with through an non-judicial Article 15 action. The punishments, some of which were handed down through courts-martial, were for soliciting prostitutes, breaking curfew or going to an off-limits establishment or area ?the latter two being enforcement tools used by USFK to crack down on participation in the sex trade.

This is the USFK policy to clamp down on prostitution and human trafficking. Unfortunately, the POLITICAL issue of human trafficking somehow got intertwined with the MORAL issue of prostitution. They are related in Korea, but it is much more complex an issue. First, in 2003, Korea was still recognized as a human trafficker dealing with the granting of E-6 visas to female “entertainers” from the Philippines and Russia. The reason was that the Korean prostitutes no longer wished to work in the “cheap” bar row of the camp towns as they could make more money in Korean bars. Second, Korea was recognized to have a sex industry that made up 2.4 percent of its GDP. (NOTE: Other ROK reports state that it is 4.0 percent of GDP — about $22 billion annually.) For a G-12 nation, we are speaking of a multi-billion dollar industry. When the USFK was attacked by the media in July 2002 after a Fox affiliate released an expose on the US military in Uijongbu, the ROK remained silent and let the US military take all the heat. In response, the USFK promised to take aggressive action to stop the sex trade. However, the problem is that it was dealing with a foreign country where it had no power — except through the use of off-limits sanctions and curfews to limit the hours that the bars could remain open. Instead of attacking the root cause — the Korean sex industry — it attacked a tendril — the kijichon, the American camptowns.

What made this talk of “core values” ring hollow to “old timers” was the fact that the ROK had undertaken a process in 1962 to set up red-light districts and “special tourist zones” (camptowns). Though laws banning prostitution in Korea had been on the books since 1948, it was never enforced. Then in 1962, the poverty-stricken ROK set up camptowns to attract foreign currency from the American soldiers. Special tax advantages were granted to bar owners in the camptowns. The military seeing that they had some control over the bar situation with its off-limits sanctions, turned a blind eye to the prostitution aspects (Hooker Hill in Itaewon, A-town in Kunsan, Little Chicago in Uijongbu, Songtan outside Osan AB and all the little camps spread out throughout Korea. However, this behavior was not only in Korea but everywhere in Asia. From the turn of the century’s Shanghai and Yokohama bars through the Philippines to Vietnam and Thailand — and beyond — the soldier/sailor/airman have been infamous for their bar row antics. All the while, the military condoned this practice as a necessary evil. Thus when the military suddenly placed a halo on its crown espousing the “core values” of the soldier, to many it seemed to be a bit hypocritical.

The camptown “system” run by the ROK government and administered by the Korean Bar Owners Associations (each area had its own association) while the US acquiesced with participation in VD checks of the camptown females and town patrols remained unchanged until 2002. Then the combination of the terrorist threat (from the paranoia spawned by the events of 9/11/2001 — and the concerted attacks on the US Military for its sex scandals world-wide and at home, led the DoD to start talking of “core values” and turned the political issue of human trafficking into a moral issue. The political aspects had the US as a signatory of the UN convention — but not a ratifier as yet — while the ROK refused to be a signatory. This political issue of human trafficking is what led to the pressure on the USFK in Korea.

Gen LaPorte reported to Congress that the curfew was one of the enforcement tools used to combat the sex trade. In Sep 2004, Gen. LaPorte amended the ongoing curfew for servicemembers in September from to 9 p.m. to 5 a.m — supposedly in response to a State Department warning that cautioned all U.S. citizens in Korea about potential protests and violence against Americans. However, after the Embassy denied such a warning, the USFK and Army judge advocate officials added that the State Department warning was only one of several force protection and readiness reasons to change the curfew hours in September. A few weeks later the curfew moved to 10pm to 7am — but it appeared that each base/camp was setting their own curfew criteria. Enforcement and punishment appeared to be uneven. Some areas were heavily patrolled, while other areas of Seoul and Pyongtaek did not allow Town Patrols. Some civilians only received warnings, while others received threats of job loss.

What was unique according to the civilian workers was LaPorte’s decision to broaden the curfew restrictions to include contract workers, people whose paychecks come from private companies but whose workloads depend on the military. USFK officials said including civilians into the curfew requirement reflects “today’s evolving military force.” The civilian workforce did not buy this reasoning — and started a letter writing campaign against it.

LaPorte lessened that restriction on 23 Dec 2004 from midnight to 5 a.m. The curfew applied to all military and DoD civilians within the jurisdiction of USFK. The order prohibited them from movement off-base unless on official business. At the end of the year, the anger over this curfew amongst the civilians was growing and the protest had turned into a letter writing campaign to Congressmen; newspaper Letters to the Editor; and outraged opinions on the internet.
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Fatal Accident in Suwon has Reprecussions (Nov 03): The trial was touted in the Korean press as some sort of moral victory over the jurisdiction issues dealing with the SOFA. The case itself was cut-and-dried. It occurred off-duty, off-base and was without question one that was in Korean jurisdiction. The only new part was that Sgt Jerry Onken, 33, was the first U.S. soldier to be handed over to South Korean authorities for custody BEFORE a trial. Surrendering troops to South Korean courts for pretrial custody was agreed upon as part of a 2001 revision of the SOFA, but never exercised until now. (See GI Kills Woman at Osan with Car and Flees (Nov 2003) for details.)

U.S. soldier Sgt. Jerry S. Onken, 33, of Onamia, Minnesota.,with his hands tied with rope is escorted by a South Korea official as he enters the Suwon District Court in Suwon, south of Seoul, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004 for his trial on charge of fleeing the scene of a collision which resulted in killing a 22-year-old South Korean woman last November. Onken, was the first U.S. soldier to be handed over to South Korean authorities for custody before a trial. Surrendering troops to South Korean courts for pretrial jailing was part of a 2001 revision of the Status of Forces Agreement giving South Korea greater authority over accused U.S. soldiers. It is unclear what kind of sentence Onken, a member of the 1-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion based in Suwon just south of Seoul, would get if convicted. (AP Photo/ Yun Jai-hyoung)

On 5 February, Sgt Onken was sentenced to three years in prison. The following article is from Associated Press:

Soldier Sentenced To S. Korea Prison
Associated Press
February 5, 2004

SUWON, South Korea – A South Korean court sentenced a U.S. soldier to three years in prison Thursday for killing a woman in a drunken driving accident, then fleeing the scene. Three other people were injured.

Sgt. Jerry S. Onken, 33, of Onamia, Minn., was the first U.S. soldier to be handed over to local authorities before trial under revised rules in 2001 giving South Korea greater authority over accused GIs.

Onken had admitted drinking three bottles of beer and two whiskey shots hours before the collision at an intersection on Nov. 28. He also admitted fleeing the scene in panic.

Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison term. The charge usually carries a sentence from five years to life imprisonment in South Korea.

Judge Kim Chul-hyun called Onken’s offenses “very serious” but said the reduced sentence accounted for Onken’s statements of regret and a 13-year military career in which he won 15 awards.

Onken, a member of the 1-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion based in Suwon, south of Seoul, was expressionless as the sentence was announced. “I’d just like to say, I’m truly sorry for the crimes I have committed,” he said.

Under the Status of Forces Agreement, which covers the 37,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea, Seoul has primary jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers accused of serious crimes committed when off duty. The U.S. military maintains jurisdiction over troops who commit crimes while on duty.

The conduct of U.S. soldiers is a sensitive matter in South Korea, which has played host to hundreds of thousands of American troops since the Korean War ended with an armistice in 1953.

Last year, huge protests erupted across the country after U.S. military trials acquitted two American soldiers of negligent homicide in the deaths of two 13-year-old South Korean girls. The soldiers were on a training mission when their armored vehicle struck the teenagers.
The USFK feared protests dealing with this trial and were stepping very lightly. There did not wish a flareup of the 2002 Anti-American campaign — especially as they were planning to accelerate the Land Partnership Plan (LPP) schedule.

Sgt Rolando Salinas (19 Dec 03) (Yonhap News)
In addition, there was a thorough review of USFK personnel incidents dealing with DUIs off-base. In addition to the above accident, Yonhap News reported on that on 19 Dec 2003 a Seoul court on sentenced a U.S. soldier to 18 months in prison for drunk driving that caused a traffic accident injuring a South Korean man. Sgt. Rolando Salinas, 27, was found guilty of driving a car while intoxicated at Uijeongbu, just north of Seoul, in August 2002. These accidents are being hyped by the NGO activist groups and press to stir up negative sentiment against the USFK. (See U.S. Army Crime.)

In April 2004, Onken appealed his conviction and apologized again to the father. However, the father stressed that he wanted the severest penalties. It appears that the concillation money normally offered after a wrongful death had not been paid because the ROK had to negotiate the amount first and then the USFK would pay “75 percent” of the amount in accordance with Article 23 of the SOFA. Though the girl’s family received about $100,000 from their auto insurance company, Onken was uninsured — a violation of the USFK regs in itself.

The USFK became very jumpy over the off-base driving privileges of individuals. Right after the trial for Sgt Onken started in January, Gen LaPorte instituted a new USFK policy that only E-7 and above and officers over the age of 25 be allowed to register vehicles in ROK.

The problem rotates around the fact that driving in Korea is dangerous. In the mid-1990s, Korea was listed as the MOST dangerous highways in the world. Subsequent years found Korea improving being listed being listed behind such places as Algeria, the drive-by shooting capital of the world. It has since dropped off the top ten list, but it still is amongst the top 20 most dangerous roads in the world — though Korea actively seeks to squelch such publicity. In Mar 2004, an article appeared in the Korea Herald that stated that more than half of accidental deaths among South Korean children were due to traffic incidents, Safekids Korea, the local branch of a U.S.-based organization for child safety said. Of almost 1,200 accidental deaths of children in 2002, about 600 stemmed from traffic incidents according to data from the Korea National Statistical Office. Just over 55 percent were killed while walking on a highway, while about 36 per cent were vehicle passengers and more than 5 percent were riding bicycles.The survey defined children as those 14 or younger. “Traffic accidents have always been one of the main causes of children’s deaths,” said Son Ju-hyeon of Safekids Korea. “Despite the country’s repeated pledges that it will reduce the number of traffic accidents, the rate of traffic-related deaths among children does not seem to be subsiding.”

The following is from USFK: Driving in Korea:

There must be a logical explanation why driving in Korea is more difficult than in the United States. At first glance, you can clearly see that there are many vehicles and too few roads to handle the traffic in an orderly manner. This situation may be the reason taxis and other vehicles drive aggressively, weaving in and out of traffic. Buses and heavy trucks are required to use the extreme right lanes but very often wander into other lanes.

In addition, experience is a factor in driving in Korea. Americans have been driving for many years. As a result, we developed and learned safe habits when around motor vehicles. In Korea, the motor vehicle growth was sudden, thus not allowing for the development of safe habits as in the United States.

On every road in Korea, you can expect to find people. On expressways, extra caution is required around road repair and maintenance sites. Maintenance workers are prone to step into the path of traffic and drivers must be prepared to stop immediately. Also watch for workers when going through tunnels and toll gates.

There are many pedestrians in Korea. Traditionally, they have felt that they have as much right to the use of the roads, and therefore expect vehicles to yield to them. This behavior creates a real hazard for you as the driver. It is wise to reduce speed when driving around pedestrians, especially children. Many Korean children have a preconceived notion that by raising their arms, a vehicle will stop to allow them to cross the street. Watch out for them and prepare to stop. Pedestrians also become confused while crossing roads, often stopping suddenly and then moving into the paths of moving vehicles. A common occurrence is for pedestrians to run or walk into traffic lanes from the front or rear of halted or parked vehicles and other blind spots.

Although much of Korea is using the motor vehicle as a means of transportation, there are still some people who rely on other more economical means of transportation. It is not uncommon to find yourself sharing a road with animal or human drawn carts. Even more unpredictable and hazardous are bicycles and motorcycles. They are usually overloaded and unstable. Slow down and give them lots of room, as the operators are noted for weaving into the paths of passing vehicles. Even more disturbing are the motorcyclists who drive on the extreme right side of the road at an excessive rate of speed and pass your vehicle on the right (one should constantly keep an eye on rear view mirrors to reduce the element of surprise).

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Runway Closes for Repairs (Sep 2003) The runway at Osan closed for two months (18 Sep to 18 Nov) forcing the aircraft to fly out of Suwon and Kadena. The helicopters would remain at Osan.

Osan to shift jets as runway undergoes repairs, upgrades
By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, September 11, 2003

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea ?The sight of sleek jet warplanes soaring aloft and the deep booming of their engines is part of day-to-day life at South Korea뭩 biggest air base.

But for the next two months, those Air Force hallmarks will vanish from the skies over Osan as the Air Force shuts down the base runway for spot repaving.

밒t뭩 common for airfields to degrade over time, so they need repairs,?said 1st Lt. Tom Montgomery, a base spokesman. 밃ny time you have cracks or spalling ?which is where fragments of concrete are coming loose ?any time you have that, it creates a hazard because our jet aircraft could possibly suck that in.?br>
The $6.4 million project calls for spot repairs to the 9,000-foot runway, widening three taxiways and installing new lights and electric cables.

Work is slated from Sept. 18 to Nov. 18.

Two South Korean firms will do the repairs under contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, officials said.

In the interim, Osan will move its F-16 and A-10 warplanes to Suwon Air Base, a South Korean air force installation between Osan and Seoul.

U-2 spy planes will shift to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.

But 33rd Rescue Squadron, Detachment 1 helicopters will continue to operate out of Osan.

Osan뭩 aircraft mechanics will take a bus daily to Suwon to work on their planes, Montgomery said.

밢ur flight operations will maintain their current state of capability,?he said. 밒t뭩 just that we뭠l be operating out of Suwon and Kadena.?br>
The aircraft will return to Osan once the project wraps up.

Runway work will be limited to cracks and worn areas cited in a base survey, said Capt. Jeff Lin, chief of construction management. Sixty concrete slabs will be replaced and other spots resurfaced, he said.

밓ust enough to push the life of the runway out to another five to eight years,?Lin said. 밒t뭩 all the spot corrections that were pointed out to us in a survey about a year ago.?br>
Taxiways C, D and E will be widened from 50 feet to 75 feet, Lin said.

The runway and three taxiways will also get new lights and electric cables.

The project뭩 repair portion will cost $3.4 million, Montgomery said.

The lighting portion will cost $3.04 million.

Il Kwang Industrial Corp. Ltd. will do the paving; Shinsung Corp. Ltd. will complete the lighting and electrical work.

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36th FS Flagship (Source: 36th Fiends History.)
F-16 Crash (May 2003) An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 36th Fighter Squadron crashed at Osan on May 29, 2003 while taking off on a training mission. The pilot ejected safely and was treated at the base hospital. (Source: 36th Fiends History.)

36th F-16 Crash (28 May 2003) (TSgt Alex Lloyd)

36th F-16 Crash (28 May 2003) (TSgt Alex Lloyd)

Work continues at Osan crash site

5/30/2003 – OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFPN) — Base workers labored throughout the night surveying debris from the F-16 Fighting Falcon that crashed near a gate at approximately 8 p.m. May 29.

A pilot from the 36th Fighter Squadron was taking off on a training mission in the F-16 when the crash occurred. The aircraft was carrying inert bombs and a captive training missile when it crashed. The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft and landed approximately 300 yards from the impact site.

An airfield manager on the runway was the first to reach the downed pilot. The pilot was taken to the 51st Medical Group emergency room where he was treated for minor arm bruises and released.

36th FS Flagship (Source: 36th Fiends History.)
No facilities were damaged. A car and static displays of an F-86 Sabre and F-4 Phantom received minor damage. Base emergency response teams extinguished two small fires resulting from the crash.

On-scene workers retrieved the aircrafts flight data recorder.

Even in bad news, good news arises, according to Col. Paul White, 51st Operations Group commander.

“In light of the crash and loss of aircraft, it’s a success for the life-support and survival-equipment shops,” he said. “At low altitude and high speed, the equipment worked as it is designed to, (helping the pilot survive).”

According to base officials, each pilot within Pacific Air Forces receives annual training on the ejection seat and life-support equipment.

“The pilots are taught on what to do after exiting the aircraft and man-seat separation occurs to improve their chances to survive,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Moore, the superintendent of the 36th Fighter Squadron life-support section.

Moore said pilots go through training in a mock-up where they hang on a parachute harness and go through procedures to land safely.

“The swift actions of the pilot prevented any loss of life and minimized damage to base property,” said Col. Gregg Sanders, 51st Fighter Wing vice commander.

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U-2 Crash at Hwaseong City (Jan 2003) A U-2S reconnaissance plane crashed 26 Jan 2003 in Hwaseong, about six miles west of Osan, after its pilot safely ejected. The pilot was treated for a minor back injury but released from Osan뭩 medical facility. Four South Koreans were injured in the accident. Among the injured were Sin Jong-ho, 47, who suffered second-degree burns to his face, ankles, wrist and neck. He was transferred to Hangang Sunhshim Hospital for further treatment. Park Hyun-ja, 49, Chong Sam-sun, 58, and Chong Byong-hun, 27, were treated for minor injuries and were given sedatives.

밯hen I returned after a short break, my shop was half broken down and on fire, and the military plane was wrecked beyond recognition,?repair shop owner Lee Jae-kwon told a South Korean news agency earlier in the day. His shop and one home were destroyed in the accident.

At the crash scene, about 31 miles south of Seoul and six miles west of Osan, the U-2뭩 tail number, 80095, was visible on one large section of debris. Early TV reports showed journalists climbing around the wreckage and the burned buildings, but police tightened security early in the evening.

More than 100 South Korean police stood guard around the site, holding yellow police tape. Armed U.S. military policeman bundled up in camouflaged uniforms also were on site, with one standing guard over a mound of wreckage. U.S. troops patrolled the cordon, telling journalists to not shoot photos. Around 8:30 p.m., a convoy of about 15 U.S. military vehicles arrived on the scene, carrying forklifts, lighting units and support equipment. South Korean police closed the road adjacent to the crash site from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. so workers could clean the wreckage. Local residents gathered in a convenience store behind the police tape and representatives for anti-U.S. military protest groups filmed the scene.
Kim Kang-sok, with Hwaseong’s disaster-control section, said city officials formed a group to assist with the cleanup efforts. Kim said his office is helping 14 residents prepare paperwork seeking compensation.

ABOVE: Korean National Police use yellow tape to create a cordon around the crash site of an Osan-based U-2 Dragonlady reconnaissance aircraft while security policeman from the 51st Security Forces Squadron monitor the scene from behind the tape. Korean National Police form a cordon around the crash site of an Osan-based U-2 Dragonlady reconnaissance aircraft. Part of a section that holds reconnaissance sensors and the sections of the aircraft’s tail are visible on the gound between the policeman. The U-2 reportedly crashed during a training mission from Osan. Huge sections of a U-2 Dragonlady reconnaissance aircraft are surrounded by many smaller pieces of the aircraft at a crash site near Osan Air Base, Korea.

U-2 Lost in Hwasong 80-1095 art.#095 (Built as U-2R, 1988; Reconfigured as U-2S, Jan 1996) Crashed in Hwasong, south of Seoul on 26 January 2003 moments after launch, the #4 engine bearing froze causing catastropic engine failure, the pilot ejected with slight injuries, 3 people on the ground were injured. Aircraft was a total loss. (Source: Blackbirds: U-2 Tail Number and Blackbirds: Timeline)
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Osan Security Upgrade to gates (Sep 2003) The Stars and Stripes on September 14, 2003 announced that Osan was to be closing its gates to vehicles at various times during 2004 to allow for installation of new security devices, including pop-up barriers, vehicle-search areas and police dog kennels.

Osan will closed its Main and Beta gates starting 22 Sept 2003 for eight months during the $2.5 million construction project. The main gate will remain open to pedestrians. During the Main Gate closure, everybody had to use the Doolittle Gate or the AFOC gate. Once Main and Beta upgrades are complete, the base will reopen them and close Doolittle Gate for four months.

Main is the primary access point for most people who work on base. Doolittle and Beta gates are often used by contractors who come to base to work.

The driving force behind the project was to improve our force-protection posture.Osan airmen and local workers were asked to make efforts to carpool, walk, ride bikes and be aware of the other base entrances.

Seoung Bu Construction Co. did the work under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Plans for Main and Beta gates call for building roadside turn-offs which will give Security Forces more space to pull over and search vehicles. “This project will improve on our current vehicle search pull-off area so that Security Forces airmen can more efficiently and effectively ensure they have control over vehicle searches,” 1st Lt. Tom Montgomery, the base spokesman said.

New tire-shredders will replace existing sets at Main and Doolittle gates, said Capt. Jeff Lin of the 51st Civil Engineering Squadron, the construction management chief. “They are kind of old and some of them are missing some teeth,” Lin said. “I think those tire-shredders speak for themselves,” Montgomery added. “They provide a visible deterrent to anybody who would try to break through security.” Pop-up “wedges” that put a steel wall in the path of a vehicle will also go in at all three gates, Lin said. And holes will be bored to allow quick installation of post-like barriers called “bollards” at Main Gate. “They’ll be pre-done holes in the road, so whenever it’s required, they can just throw these big ?poles into the ground so traffic cannot go straight through,” Lin said.

Main and Beta gates were to get new guard stations and search dog kennels. New “drop-arm” vehicle barriers were also to go in at Main and Doolittle gates. Beta Gate will get swing gates. Workers will put in a brick wall at Main Gate and a chain link fence for Beta and Doolittle. All three locations will be landscaped. In addition, work crews will rebuild Main Gate stairs to conform to U.S. standards. They were also to repave the Doolittle Gate visitors center parking area.

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PAC-3 Deployed in Korea (Sep 2003) The promised PAC-3 deployment to Korea was completed in September 2003. The anti-missile system can hit ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system was part of an $11 billion plan to enhance US defenses in the ROK. “The upgraded Patriot system will bring enhanced defensive capabilities to the peninsula as well as contribute to the overall deterrence US forces bring to the alliance (with South Korea),” the 8th US Army said in a statement. “Part of the upgrade and new enhanced capabilities include the hit-to-kill technology to destroy incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft,” it said. An army public affairs official said the system had been deployed in July but had not been publicized until now because troops were being trained to operate the mobile air defense system. They are now trained. The PAC-3 fits 16 missiles into a launcher, compared with four on earlier versions. Each missile destroys its target through force of impact but also includes a conventional warhead that blasts fragments to destroy aircraft and cruise missiles.

The PAC-3s were requested because of the threat of North Korean missile attack. They are smaller than the PAC-2. Sixteen missiles are fitted into each launcher. Only four can be placed in the PAC-2 launcher. The new system is much more capable of spotting, tracking and hitting an incoming missile with a high-speed interceptor. In addition to Osan, the Army has deployed PAC-2 and PAC-3 batteries at Camp Casey, a forward military base within about 12 miles of the demilitarized zone separating North Korea and South Korea.

The Patriot system is made up of missile interceptors carried in tubes on truck launchers, along with a radar, communications antenna array and fire-control system, that are based on vehicles behind the interceptor batteries. At Osan, the Patriots are deployed in a line along the northern edge of the runway, and near a weapons-storage depot. U.S. spy satellites first detect missile launches using infrared sensors. The launch information then is relayed to Patriot equipment. Missiles then are tracked by other sensors, and when it is close enough, a Patriot is launched to intercept it.

The following was from the 17 Sep Choson Ilbo

USFK Completes Patriot PAC-3 Deployment
by Yoo Yong-won (kysu@chosun.com)

The U.S. Forces Korea has completed its deployment here of the latest Patriot PAC-3 anti-ballistic missiles, which have an improved missile-interception capability over the earlier generation PAC-2 model.

Steve Boylan, information officer of the U.S. 8th Army command, said Tuesday that the PAC-3s had replaced some of the old PAC-2 missiles at the first artillery battalion of 43rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment. He said that introduction of PAC-3 missiles is part of more than 150 plans on which the U.S. military will spend $11 billion by 2006 to boost its war-fighting capabilities.

The number of PAC-3 missiles deployed will not be disclosed, for security reasons, Boylan said.

The PAC-3 Patriot missile uses the direct-hit method – meaning it strikes the target and detonates rather than getting near the target and detonating, as the PAC-2 does. It features increased accuracy and is expected to improve the USFK’s ability to intercept North Korean missiles such as the SCUD and Rodong-1. The PAC-3 is 5.2 meters long and 25 centimeters in diameter and can intercept ballistic missiles up to 20 kilometers away.

Since 1994, the USFK had deployed 48 Patriot missiles, or one battalion’s worth, in Osan, Suwon and Gunsan. The 8th Army command will display the PAC-3 to the media on Thursday at Suwon Airfield.

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New Town to Emerge in Osan to House U.S. Army (Jun 2003) According to the US Embassy in June 2003, the Gyeonggi provincial government plans to establish a new town by 2007 to host units and functions from Seoul뭩 U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan and to house 200,000 people, including approximately 10,000 U.S. soldiers and their families. The envisioned town will comprise 16.5 million square meters in Osan. The project will cost around W three trillion and an additional W seven or eight trillion to build housing units. The Korean campus of Maryland University and other middle and high schools will also move to the new site. Provincial Vice Governor Han Hyung-gyu explained on June 18, 밃fter considering public opinions on the project, we will designate the green areas as residential areas this year to build around 70,000 housing units around the region.?The provincial government plans to establish a bumper zone between the military camp and the residential zone to guarantee security of the U.S. facilities. 밫he new site has a very extensive transportation infrastructure providing such conveniences as an express railroad, regular rail service and a highway – all connecting to Seoul and Busan.?An express railroad station is under construction. Seoul City planners envision transforming the Yongsan garrison into a park.

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Anti-Americanism Fears After the vile anti-American hysteria of 2002, culminating in nationwide candlelight vigils for the two middle-school girls killed in a USFK convoy accident. The subsequent — best described as a politically motivated — USFK court martial exonerated the two accused soldiers of the “line of duty” accident and brought on new demands from activists of SOFA changes. A Korea Gallup poll stated that 53 percent of Koreans disliked America. It also voices the Korean mindset that the North will NOT attack the south (either nuclear or chemical) because they are “ethnic brothers” amongst the young — but that the threat to Japan is real. At the same time the older generation still feared the intentions of the North having seen the deprevations of the Korean War and its aftermath. The following article from the Washington Post on 9 Jan 2003 reflected the reactions of the anti-US and pro-US factions within Korea and the expectations for President-elect Roh Moo-hyun (inaugurated in Feb 2003) to tone down the anti-American hysteria. Roh’s request for calm put an end to the candlelight vigils — but beneath the surface, anti-Americanism still sitting just below the surface. However, his first acts as the President-elect did not bode well for future US-ROK relations.

Anti-U.S. Sentiment Deepens in S. Korea Support for Isolating North Seen Lacking
By Peter S. Goodman and Joohee Cho
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, January 9, 2003; Page A01

SEOUL, Jan. 8 — Inside a Starbucks coffee shop tucked in a posh shopping district of South Korea’s capital, three women in their late twenties sip cappuccino, their Prada purses and Gucci sunglasses testifying to lives of comfort in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula — the side defended by 37,000 U.S. troops.

Yet, as their conversation turns to the nuclear confrontation playing out here, all three express sympathies for North Korea and anger toward the United States. They reject the central tenet that has bound South Korea and the United States together for a half-century — that they need American troops here to protect them from the menacing Communist power to the north.

“If the United States left, I wouldn’t mind,” says Kim Young Ran, 29. “If North Korea wants nuclear weapons, I think they should have them. The U.S. and so many other countries have them. There’s no way North Korea will attack us with their nuclear weapons. I don’t think so. We’re the same country. You don’t bomb and kill your family. We share the same blood.”

That refrain, heard here with increasing frequency, largely explains the gulf between South Korea and the United States as the two countries digest the possibility of North Korea arming itself with nuclear weapons. It also highlights the enormous obstacles confronting the Bush administration as it seeks to assemble a united front to force North Korea to reverse course; South Korea’s support is critical to any attempt to isolate the North.

In a recent opinion poll conducted by Korea Gallup for the Chosun Ilbo, one of South Korea’s three major newspapers, more than 53 percent of South Koreans surveyed said they disliked the United States, up from 15 percent in 1994. Over the same period, the percentage of those who said they liked the United States fell from nearly 64 percent to 37 percent.

Many analysts say the growing anti-Americanism here has emboldened North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il, to ratchet up the confrontation because he is secure that the Bush administration cannot wage war against him, or even contain him, without the support of South Korea, and equally secure that such support is lacking.

“It wasn’t like that back in 1993 and ’94,” said Lee Chung Min, a North Korea expert at Yonsei University in Seoul, referring to the last nuclear crisis here. “We thought North Korea was crazy and had no illusions about who they were building their bombs for. Now, Kim is less likely to bend, because he can count on South Korea. And that’s a weird situation.”

In the latest sign that North Korea is seeking to exploit this dynamic, the insular country today released a statement calling on the two Koreas to “pool their efforts and condemn and frustrate the U.S. nuclear policy for aggression,” which it said was part of a larger “U.S. strategy to dominate the world.” It accused the United States of “working hard to bring a holocaust of a nuclear war to the Korean nation.”

On Thursday, the Reuters news agency, citing the South Korean Unification Ministry, reported that North Korea had proposed going ahead with minister-level talks with South Korea on Jan. 21-24.

The poll numbers revealed a striking generational divide. While only 26 percent of South Korean respondents age 50 and over expressed dislike for the United States, the rate for those in their twenties was over 75 percent.

Analysts explain this shift by noting that older South Koreans have memories of the 1950-53 Korean War and feel an uneasy proximity to the artillery and missiles lined up on the other side of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula. Those in their twenties, on the other hand, grew up in a country that felt stable and increasingly prosperous, far removed from threats of war and poverty.

“They have naive and romantic thoughts about the North,” said Kim Tae Woo, a conservative arms control expert at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul. “They think we are one people, North and South, and we should be reunited. They simply don’t see the military strength the North has created.”

Young people say they are freer than previous generations to think critically about inequalities in South Korea’s relations with the United States.

“Our parents only had monopolized and controlled information fed to them by the government, but we get information from all sorts of places,” said Chang Hye Jin, 33, a software developer. “The Internet changed a lot. We express and discuss many issues in the chat rooms. Through that, we get a lot of different ideas.”

Anti-Americanism is hardly new here. During the 1980s, radical students engaged in violent protests against the authoritarian regime of Chun Doo Hwan and lashed out at the United States for complicity in the government’s repressive policies. More recently, activists have decried what they see as environmental pollution linked to the presence of U.S. troops here. But those who have watched such events unfold say there has been a palpable, fundamental shift in attitude.

“Anti-Americanism is getting intense,” said Kim Sung Han, a fellow at the Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security, a research group in Seoul associated with the Foreign Affairs Ministry. “It used to be widespread and not so deep. Now it’s getting widespread and deep.”

The 1980s radicals have been joined by a new crop of people in their twenties and thirties who are less anti-American than they are pro-Korean. Reared on textbooks that portray North Korea not as an enemy but as a brother, many have come to see the U.S. military presence as an impediment to reunifying the two halves of the peninsula. “I don’t think the United States understands that we are one country,” said Kim Young Jin, 34, a gray-suited banker.

This shift has profoundly altered relations between South Korea and the United States. Through the Cold War and the last decade, governments in Washington and Seoul danced in lockstep. But that changed under the rule of South Korean President Kim Dae Jung, whose “sunshine policy” toward the North has relied upon engagement and reconciliation, expanding trade and aid while reuniting families divided by the Demilitarized Zone.

While Bill Clinton was in power, the sunshine policy caused no discord. But when President Bush came into office and branded North Korea part of an “axis of evil,” along with Iraq and Iran, it embarrassed Kim and caused a cleavage in Seoul’s dealings with Washington.

Other incidents have further inflamed tensions. During a speedskating race at last year’s Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a South Korean entrant, Kim Dong Sung, crossed the finish line first, but was disqualified. He yielded the gold medal to American Apolo Anton Ohno, and people here charged foul play.

Last June, a U.S. Army vehicle fatally crushed two South Korean teenage girls during a training exercise. When a military court subsequently acquitted two soldiers of negligent homicide, it provoked a string of protests that have continued.

In downtown Seoul, a sign went up in a restaurant declaring that Americans were not welcome. School bags began sporting “Anti-American” buttons. On major shopping streets, activists using bullhorns began proclaiming “Yankees go home.”

Last month, South Koreans elected a new president, Roh Moo Hyun, who advocates continuation of the sunshine policy. During the campaign, he caused an uproar when he said South Korea should not automatically adopt the side of the United States if there is conflict with the North.

After the election, Roh met with military officials and instructed them to draw up plans that assume a reduction in U.S. forces stationed here. That has occasioned much speculation in the local press that Roh, who takes office Feb. 25, may ask the United States to reduce its troop presence — an outcome feared by conservatives here.

“Roh and his people have no concept of security,” said Kim Tae Woo, the conservative defense expert.

Today in Pyongtaek, outside a U.S. air base, several hundred South Koreans, many of them local shopkeepers, rallied to oppose calls for a withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Much has been made here about the fact that Roh speaks no English and has never visited the United States. Despite his strained ties with the United States, Kim Dae Jung lived there for years in exile in the days of repressive government. He has called on those demonstrating against the acquittal of the U.S. soldiers to halt their protests.

Those close to Roh say it would be wrong to paint him as holding anti-American views. He wrote a book about Abraham Lincoln, whom he considers his role model. While Kim Dae Jung has his prestige invested in a series of economic projects with the North — a giant conference center, rail links, a tourism site — Roh could use them as bargaining chips to force North Korea to pull back from the nuclear brink.

“They were not initiated by Roh, therefore he can take much freer action,” said Moon Jung In, a North Korea expert at Yonsei University who has served as an informal adviser to the president-elect. “He might be much tougher on North Korea if they don’t cooperate. Roh has been badly misunderstood.”

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NGO Groups: Nuclear Issues Again (Feb 2003) Though the Nuclear Weapons were removed from Korea in 1992, there have been persistent rumors that the weapons still exist in Korea. Annually when US nuclear submarines dock at Chinhae as part of the RSOI/FE exercises, the ROK media jumps on the possibility that nuclear weapons (Tomahawks with nuclear warheads) are aboard.

The following excerpt is from an article appeared in the “liberal” press to attempt to stir up anti-American discontent. Annually at the time of the Foal Eagle Exercises, the NGO groups start protesting this nuclear issue. This report from Korea WebWeekly (Feb 28, 2003) posted on Kimsoft specifically mentions the ammo depot at Hwangu near Songtan on the way to Anjung-ni. During the mid-1970s, US nuclear weapons storage sites in South Korea included Osan Air Base, Kunsan Air Base, Kwang Ju Air Base, Camp Ames, Camp Colbern, and Batteries A-F of the 44th Air Defense Artillery’s 2nd Battalion [the nuclear weapons storage site at Osan was deactivated late in 1977 when the Nike missiles were decommissioned.]. Camp Ames, at Chong Dong Ri not far from Taejon, was the Special Ammunition [SA] supply point (SASP) for Eighth Army. The cantonment area was small, and in the 1970s there were only a few units there, none larger than company size. The 833rd Ordnance Company (SA)(General Support – GS) ran the depot and the 110th Military Police Company provided physical security. In September 1991, President Bush announced the withdrawal of all naval and land-based forward deployed tactical nuclear systems, including those in South Korea. (Source: GlobalSecurity.org)

Ammo Depots at US Air Force Bases in Korea.
There are US Air Force ammo depots at Hwangu near Songtan. The depots belong to the Ohsas airbase. There are 19 igloo depots and two above ground magazines. More igloo depots are under construction. Are there any nukes hidden in these depots?

Hans Christnsen of the Nautilus Institute obtained secret documents through FOIA. These documents show that the US military has practiced nuclear preemptive strikes on North Korea even after the 1994 Agreed Framework was signed. In June 1998, an F-15 squadron left the Seymore airbase in North California. The planes dropped BDU-38 practice nuclear bombs on a bombing range in Florida. The BDU-38 bombs are exact replicas of the nuclear bombs carried on B61 nuclear bombers.

The US Air Force manual AFMAN91-201 sets forth safe procedures for storing and transporting missiles, explosives and nukes. Site planners of ammo depots and airbases must follow these procedures. The Ohsan airbase had nuclear weapons at one time and maintains the same status as the Seymore airbase in California. A former US Air Force officer said:

“The inspectors performed a Phase 2 inspection. It tested war fighting capability. We simulated fighting a war in Korea, using a Korean scenario. This included chemical attacks to protect against using full chemical gear [sic]. The scenario was developed to lead us into the Nuclear Surety Inspection. This simulated a decision by the National Command Authority about considering using nuclear weapons. So we went into our NSI phase. We identified aircraft, crews, and [weapon] loaders to load up tactical nuclear weapons onto our aircraft. When that phase was terminated, The last phase of the exercise, the employment phase began.” http://www.nautilus.org/nukestrat/USA/NSNF/4fw98ex.pdf

Nuclear safety inspection and nuclear safety exercises are conducted per specific attack targets. What targets? The document states: “The 4th Fighter Wing’s combat mission was to support the Southeast Asia Operational Plan (OPLAN)”. The OPLAN has several war scenarios: #5051 for a Soviet invasion of Hokkaido, #5052 for war in Japan, #5053 for central east, and #5027 for war in Korea. The OPLAN was based on the US war doctrines of 1980. The plan calls for tactical nukes on fighter planes.

The US nuclear war doctrine is: “US policy concerning nuclear warfare is to deter it by maintaining a strong nuclear capability and, if deterrence fails, to terminate the conflict at the lowest possible level of violence consistent with national and allied interests. The US position is that deterrence is achieved if the threat assesses the outcome of war to be so uncertain and so debilitating under any circumstances that the incentive for initiating a nuclear attack is removed. This policy does not preclude the first use of nuclear munitions by US forces.”

This policy has been reaffirmed several times by the Bush Administration. The OPLAN 518, although formulated for military exercises, clearly includes nuclear attacks on North Korea. (See http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/dod/oplan9518/CFCIIOPSM.DOC) The Perry-Lee Yang Ho joint statement of 1995 clearly states that the US will mount nuclear attacks in case of war in Korea.

In light of the above facts, it is plausible that US airbases in Korea have nuclear weapons on site. Mr. Lee had no way of checking out ammo depots at the US airbases in Korea. If inspections are to be done by Seoul government organs, ammo depots at US Air Force bases should be on the top of their list.

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Troop Reductions (Mar 2003) On 21 March President Roh Moo-hyun that he would NOT discuss the reduction of U.S. forces in South Korea until the North Korean nuclear situation was fully resolved. In addition, Roh assured the public there was no need to be concerned that Washington would target North Korea after the war with Iraq. He earlier claimed South Korea and the United States had entered a “transitional period” in their bilateral relationship.

However, despite all that Roh WANTED, the Bush administration had other ideas. Roh wanted to be treated as an “equal partner” but did not want to talk about the part where “equal partner” meant sharing the financial load “equally” as well. Roh wanted a SOFA comparable to Japan, but where Japan provides housing for 79 percent of married personnel, Korea only had facilities for 10 percent. Korea has not done its share. It became apparent that Roh’s idea was for Korea to contribute little financial support for the USFK while the U.S. continued to foot the majority of the bill.

The showdown came over the dispatch of promised — and promised — and promised ROK troops for Iraq that finally became the ROK trying to find a “safe” haven for their troops. The ROK had promised 3,600 combat troops for garrison duty which were intended to free up US troops for combat-type missions. None was forthcoming. Finally the US formally informed South Korea that it intended to move the U.S. 2d Infantry Division to the area south of the Han River in Oct 2003 (FY2004). The ROK stated that relocating the 2d Infantry Division in 2003 was impossible, due to the difficulty of finding an alternate site — a direct result of the ROK ambivalence and inaction. The US was fed up. This was the final straw. The US was NOT going to be used as a “tripwire” to satisfy the ROK feelings of security. The US was moving to a mobile force based on flexibility — not an immobile static force along the DMZ.

There was a lot of friction and to back up the point that the US had the might and will to protect Korea if forces were removed for a regional peacekeeping role in the future, F-117As were deployed to Kunsan and F-15Es from Elmendorf were deployed to Osan AB. The carrier USS Carl Vinson was dispatched for Foal Eagle Exercises. 12 B-1 and 12 B-52 bombers remained in Guam.

The ROK started on its “poor mouth” campaign of not enough funds and tried to shift the financial burden to the U.S. The ROK has done this consistently since the MOU was signed in 1990 to relocate the Yongsan Garrison. Then they said no one wanted the 8th Army Yongsan Garrison — more pointedly the refusal of the Pyongtaek mayor to accept the forces in 1993 within his city. At that time, the cost of relocation was projected at $9.5 billion. Korea did not want to pay this cost and the Yongsan relocation returned to the status quo. Later Korea said that the U.S. had “padded” the figures. Korea then demanded changes to the SOFA and got it in 1991 with substantial increases in their share of defense. Unsatisfied, the Korean government demanded more changes dealing with jurisdiction and again their share went up — much to the vocal objections of civic groups. After 1997, the Koreans had the audacity to try to renegotiate the cost share down blaming the IMF Crisis. Then in 2003 after a year of anti-Americanism pointed at the USFK, the U.S. was in no mood to banter over this point with a G-12 nation — or in the U.S. words, “a prosperous democracy.” When the topic was resurfaced again, the Korean government announced the relocation cost for Yongsan at $1.3 billion — but this was NOT confirmed by the USFK. This was the starting volley of the Korean government wanting to negotiate the price down. (SITE NOTE: In 2005, this cost-sharing issue would come full circle in a confrontation as the ROK refused to pay for their share of the cost — and even stated it would REDUCE the military budget to 2.7 percent of GDP.)

The ROK idea that the U.S. will relinquish the control of a coalition (U.S.-ROK) to the minor player (ROK) is NOT in the cards. The question whether South Korea could defeat North Korea alone is a ridiculous case to argue. Even if the ROK won, the total confrontation would be fought across South Korea leaving the country devastated. With the U.S. presence, the possibility of it being a much shorter war — with the outcome already decided in the U.S. favor — if China and Russia do not escalate it into a global confrontation. If the ROK wishes to demand control of forces in time of war, there is no need for a coalition — and no need for the U.S. presence in Korea. The ROK persisted in this idea following Roh’s idea of a “self-reliant” defense.

Finally on 25 April the USFK announced its relocation plan that had been in the works. In the April “Future of the Alliance Policy Initiative” meeting, there was no decision on the “alternative site” that was put forth by the USFK. It now the “alternative site(s)” have become fixed — at least for the USFK. Bottom line is that the USFK is moving — with or without the Korean approval. The move was to Yongsan and Pyongtaek … and the USFK was not negotiating.

The fact that the US was pulling all troops out of Saudi Arabia in 2003 and pressing forward with reductions in Germany sent a message that the US was serious about its reduction in forces to create a smaller and more mobile force. On May 15 Reuters reported that US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the US could remove some of its 37,000 troops from the ROK even as it improved peninsula security in a nuclear face-off with the DPRK. The United States said it would invest an additional $11 billion over the next three years to strengthen its forces in South Korea, procuring upgraded missile systems and reinforcing military intelligence.

The ROK continued to drag its feet and stall on all measures. The USFK continued to try to reduce the cost of relocation from Yongsan — and even tried to nullify the 1990 MOU agreement so it could be renegotiated. Next it stated the cost payment might violate the Constitution. The ROK antics were getting very ridiculous. At the end of 2003 after the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) being inconclusive, things were looking as though items would be shoved down the ROK’s throat — and actions would be unilateral.
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Pyongtaek Civic Group Against Relocation and Businesses for the move (Aug 2003) An article in the Chosun Ilbo on 19 Aug had a civic group protesting the relocation of the USFK to Pyongtaek. This seemed strangely familiar with what happened in 1993 when Pyongtaek said it didn’t want the relocation of the Yongsan Garrison. The only difference is that now the U.S. may simply reduce the numbers of its personnel if the ROK government does not fulfill its promise to procure land. The newspaper stated:

Pyeongtaek Opposes Relocation Plan
by Lee Tae-hun (libra@chosun.com)

A civic group in southern Gyeonggi province that was formed to discuss the possible relocation of U.S. troops to the region will not accept the move of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division there.

The Pyongtaek Citizens Committee on the Relocation of U.S Army Bases, headed by Pyeongtaek Mayor Kim Sun-ki and the city council chairman Lee Ik-jae, said Tuesday that considering national security and the situations of the region around the city, it would not accept the relocation of the 2nd Infantry Division to the region. The U.S. Forces Korea asked the South Korean government last month to complete the construction of new facilities in Osan and Pyeongtaek for the relocating troops by 2008.

The committee said that it “basically opposed” the relocation to its area. But it added that if the relocation was inevitable, it should be considered from the view of the region’s development within the Seoul-Washington Land Partnership Planning agreement.

If the relocation of the 2nd Infantry Division was still pursued, the committee said, it would refuse all other in-movements of U.S. military units and facilities, including the headquarters of the 8th Army.
The comments of not accepting the 2d ID relocation can backfire very easily when one remembers the statement of Donald Rumsfeld about, “we will remain as long as we are wanted.” The Pyongtaek Mayor’s comments were certainly not welcoming and this would play right into the troop reduction issue.

On the opposite side of the coin, businesses in the area were more positive about the move — though the American influence did concern them. A Korea Times article on 18 Jan 2004 stated:

Pyongtaek Residents Divided Over US Base
The agreement between South Korea and the United States Saturday to relocate all U.S. troops out of Seoul drew mixed responses from the people in Pyongtaek, where the troops are to be based. The two allies agreed to relocate the U.S. Yongsan Garrison out of South Korea’s capital to Pyongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, asa key part of a U.S. reshuffle of its 37,000 troops stationed here.“The decision to relocate U.S. troops to Pyongtaek should be regarded as null and void because it was made unilaterally without gauging residents’ opinions,” said Kang Sang-won, an executive member of acivic group opposing U.S. plans to consolidate its troops in Pyeongtaek.Kang said the group will step up efforts to have the plan cancelledas it includes moving the headquarters of the United Nations commandand the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command to the city.

“It means people will lose more land to them, so more people will join our movement to oppose the plan,” he said. “The relocation willderail city plans to develop the Pyongtaek Port.”Some residents living near U.S. Camp Humphreys are staging a sit-into oppose development plans to expand the camp in the neighborhood.

But local business people welcomed the consolidation of the U.S. troops in the city, expecting it to generate more sales for them.

“This is what we have wanted and it is a good thing,” said Lee Gyeong-chu, president of the Songtan Business Association. “It will help Pyongtaek’s economy as Itaewon benefited from theYongsan base.” According to a poll of 1,000 Pyongtaek citizens conducted in December, 53 percent opposed the U.S. troops’ move to the city, while 37.8 percent supported it, with 9.2 percent expressing no preference. The prominent U.S. military presence in the city center over the past 50 years has been a constant source of anti-U.S. sentiment in South Korea.

The two countries initially had agreed to reconsolidate the Yongsanbase, leaving about 7,000-10,000 troops to man the combined headquarters. The sides differed, however, over the amount of land to be used by the remaining U.S. forces. According to officials at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, the South Korean delegates to the Hawaii talks offered the U.S. side more land than they initially had, but failed to persuade them to accept that. Some South Korean officials say the U.S. relocation plans will place Seoul at greater risk of North Korean artillery attacks. Seoul is only 50 kilometers from the heavily-fortified border. The talks in Hawaii, dubbed the Future of the Alliance PolicyInitiative, are a continuation of discussions that began in April last year.

The consultations are aimed at redefining the allies’ half-century military alliance, which has undergone difficulties in recent years because of anti-American protests in South Korea.

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Translation of 밬S to Give Up 멦ripwire?Role?(Oh My News) The following is from Marmot’s Hole one of the exceptional blogs on the changing Korean scene. The author is a translator for one of the English newspapers in Korea. He stated:

“I promised you a translation of that OhMyNews analysis piece by Kim T뭓e-kyeong on the planned changes to the American military presence in South Korea, and here it is. If some of it sounds funny, give me a break – it ain뭪 easy translating this stuff.”

It was completely agreed upon on November 19 that the ROK-US Joint Command and the UN Command will be moving entirely to the Osan-Pyongtaek area. And since the 2nd Infantry Division currently based north of the Han River will start moving to Osan-Pyongtaek in 2006, the 뱓ripwire?role that the USFK has played is disappearing.

The Korean government has accepted the American intention of changing USFK into a mobile army for use in Northeast Asia (aimed at China and Russia) and turning Osan-Pyongtaek into a regional Northeast Asian Command. Accordingly, the Americans are redeploying USFK in line with their military strategy, and strong criticism is expected, claiming that their is no need for the Korea to take on pay the entire cost of the move – costs that will be between three and five billion dollars (according to official Ministry of Defense announcements)

Moreover, with the current US-ROK military alliance and USFK being transformed into a mobile army aimed at China and Russia, Korea may turn China and Russia into military enemies and serious diplomatic problems are foreseen.

On November 21, one government source said, 밆uring the administrative talks that followed the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul on the 19th, the US and Korea agreed to move the US-ROK Command and the UN Command entirely to the Osan-Pyongtaek area,?and 밒n the future, not one American soldier will remain at Yongsan.?br>
According to this source, 밃t the US base in Yongsan, the hotel known as 밆ragon Village?will remain as as lodging for American soldiers,?and 뱎roblems such as the 80,000 pyong site for US Embassy residences and the upkeep of the US helicopter pad still remain, but these issues are secondary. The negotiations for the move are, in fact, completely concluded.?The US Embassy has confirmed these facts as well.

The administrative talks on the 19th were attended by Cha Yeong-gu, Vice Ministry of Defense in charge of policy, and Richard Lawless, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Defense. Even though talks on the Yongsan move failed during the SCM meeting on the 17th, an agreement was reached in only two days.

Turning Osan-Pyongtaek into a Northeast Asia Regional Command

In the joint statement released after the SCM meeting on the 17th [Marmot뭩 note: If you want, take a look at it here], the two sides reaffirmed 뱓he principle that the realignment and consolidation of the US forces based in Korea into two hubs south of the Han River will proceed in two phase,?and 밇mphasizing that the first phase should begin as soon as possible, they reaffirmed that the exact timing of the second phase of relocations will be determined by the highest national authorities according to the principles expressed in the ROK-US Presidential Joint Press Statements of 14 May and 20 October 2003.?br>
The first stage will consist of the Americans based in Yongsan being moved to Osan-Pyongtaek, while the 2nd Infantry Division, currently spread out in installations north of the Han River, will consolidate around Tongducheon and Uijeongbu. After this, the second stage will take place starting in 2006 when the 2nd Infantry Division will be moved completely to Osan-Pyongtaek. This means that after 2006, not one American soldier will be based north of the Han River, and the 뱓ripwire?concept they represented will disappear.

USFK, which is currently a 뱈echanized infantry division?armed with heavy weapons is being transformed into a light, mobile army with units such as the Stryker brigades. Last June, when Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz visited Korea and said, 밒n order to augment USFK뭩 fighting power, we have decided to pump 11 billion dollars into it,?this is precisely what he meant. In the end, USFK, which to now has served as a deterrent against the North, is changing into a force to counter threats in the Northeast Asian region from countries like China and Russia. Osan-Pyongtaek will naturally become the US military뭩 Northeast Asian command center.

USFK Troop Reductions are Unavoidable

It seems that as USFK switches to the Stryker brigades, reductions in troop numbers may be unavoidable.

According to an AP report from October 18, a source in the US administration and security experts said, 밫he Administration plans to reduce USFK by 12,000 men, a third of its current strength of 37,000 men,?and 밺etails are being discussed with the Korean government.?br>
The AP report revealed that 밒f an agreement is reached, the character of the remaining troops will be that of an 밻xpeditionary force?capable of being deployed anywhere in the Asia-Pacific region.?In reference to this, George Bush said during the APEC summit held in Thailand on October 20 that 밃ll this is the low-level clerks recklessly speaking their own minds. It has nothing to do with official decisions by the US government.?br>
However, this was nothing but a temporary explanation. According to another Korean government source, 밫he AP report was right on,?and 밒n fact, it뭩 known that the US has recently told us that troop strength may be reduced by even more than the 12,000 men originally planned.?br>
During testimony before Congress last summer, Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz stressed that 밡o longer would the US military be a political 몋ripwire?along the DMZ.?And Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who attended this year뭩 SCM meeting, stressed 밬SFK뭩 flexibility?and told foreign reporters that 밃merican soldiers will no longer remain along the DMZ.?br>
This is not the first time the United States has tried to reduce its troop strength in Korea. The United States announced its East Asia Strategic Initiative (EASI) in 1992: it called for a two-phased reduction in American troops in Korea (each phase would reduce the number by 7,000, with 15,000 troops being withdrawn in total), with a third phase that would establish a 밙orean-centered defense,?dismantle the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and leave remaining only small formations of American troops.

However, as the North Korean nuclear crisis reared its head, only the first phase of the EASI was carried out and further reductions were put on hold. But when George Bush took office in 2000, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld commenced operations to reorganize he US military. A US military which was armed with heavy weapons would be transformed into a light, highly mobile force that could be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world.

The Stryker brigades are a result of Rumsfeld뭩 military reforms. Noh Mu-hyeon뭩 stressing of an 밿ndependent defense?soon after his inauguration is also an acknowledgment of this change in American strategy.

Why is Korea paying the costs of base relocation?

During the SCM meeting on the 17th, Korea and the US could not come to an agreement about the Yongsan move. The US requested 280,000 pyong of the total 780,000 pyong of Yongsan base to house the headquarters of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command. The Korean side said it was willing to provide only 170,000 pyong. But in only two days time, an agreement was eventually reached.

According to a government source, 밫he US was originally going to move everything, including the headquarters of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, to Osan-Pyongtaek, but the Korean government wanted some American to remain [at Yongsan] because of citizen unease, ?and 밫he US first said that the Combined Forces Command could stay, and that 100,000 pyong would be enough, but later the amount of land requested grew to 280,000 pyong.?br>
The Korean government, which had come out offering 170,000 pyong, set down a compromise target of 220,000 pyong. But the US continued to demand 280,000 pyong. As a result of the negotiation agreement, the area of the remaining American installation at Yongsan will be considerably bigger than the 170,000 pyong offered by Korea in the beginning.

For Korea to pay the entire cost of moving the Yongsan garrison is a big problem. The logic behind Korea having to pay for the move comes from the fact that Korea was the first to request the base be moved when the Noh Tae-woo Administration did so in 1988. The US military had the burden of paying for the consolidation of the 2nd Infantry Division뭩 military facilities around Dongducheon and Uijeongbu because this plan is the US military뭩 own.

However, not only Yongsan, but the 2nd Infantry Division will also be moving to Osan-Pyongtaek starting in 2006, and there is no need for the Korean government to pay the entire cost of 2ID뭩 move.

Conservatives, Progressives Criticize Agreement

On November 21, GNP spokesmen Pak Jin said, ?GNP head] Choe Byeong-nyeol and others have strongly insisted on an agreement with the Americans that will allow the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and the UN Command to remain in its current position,?and 밫his is to allay the security concerns of the citizens, prevent North Korea from misjudging the situation, and to entice foreign investment and save the national economy.?br>
Critical voiced from the progressive camp have been load as well. Yu Young-jae, the head of the citizens?group 밣eace and Unification People?뭩 peace and disarmament team, criticized the agreement saying, 밇ssentially, the Yongsan move is a redeployment that follows the Americans?new military strategy. It뭩 not reasonable for Korea to pay the entire costs of the move.?br>
밯hat뭩 more, while USFK is transforming into a mobile army for use in Northeast Asia, it will become aimed at China and Russia,?and 밎iven the current relationship under the US-ROK military alliance, unnecessary military tensions cannot help but increase with Russia and China while the ROK military is subordinate to USFK.?br>
In fact, this is the biggest problem. [USFK뭩] transformation into a mobile American army in Northeast Asia is targeting China, which seems like it will exceed the US in GDP by 2020, and Russia, which is seeking to stabilize.

The United States is looking to make a Northeast Asian military alliance to counter China and Russia based on Korean land forces, Japanese sea power, and American air power. America뭩 positive attitude toward the passing of Japan뭩 밻mergency legislation?that enables the Japanese Self Defense Force to be deployed overseas is because of this.
Some pretty interesting stuff. Some of the final analysis is a little questionable – even assuming China exceeded the US in GDP by 2020 (dubious), given its population, it would still be a remarkably poor country compared to its potential adversaries, and if Russia did manage to right itself, the first country to which it will pose a threat is China. Besides, even if a Sino-Russian coalition were to arise (or either one of them were to become powerful enough to pose a credible threat on its own), South Korea (or even a unified Korea) better hope to hell it뭩 got the United States watching its back. Interestingly enough, Kim never mentions the most important implication of a complete American withdrawal from the peninsula – full fledged Japanese remilitarization (likely backed by the United States) and Korea in a world of hurt – but this is really beside the point. Assuming all goes well (a major assumption when USFK issues are concerned), the force structure in Korea looking at a major overhaul, and the USFK of 2010 will be a very different fighting force than the USFK of today. For South Korea, the implications of such a transformation are enormous, and one can only hope that President Noh뭩 talk of an 밿ndependent defense?is more than just talk. — The Marmot’s Hole
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Pyeongtaek Becoming Regional Hub With the geographical advantage, Pyongtaek City is becoming a center of business and logistics hub of Northeast Asia. Located on the west coast of Korean peninsula, the city currently acts as a major contributor to the nation’s economy and the people’s welfare. One of the advantages is its proximity to China. It is also part of the national plan to create a harbor network that includes the port cities of Busan and Gwangyang. It is a high hope for the city to attract foreign investment, as their port is an ideal maritime trade channel between Korea and China, the largest market of Asia, and is near the nation’s capital. Moreover, the city will continue to nurture talented human resources and adopt measures to promote international exchanges of not only materials but also culture.

To achieve its objectives, the city plans to build convenient transport routes to China, improve domestic transportation routes, promote robust commercial activity and provide reduced freight rates. By 2011, the port city aims to handle 2,639,000 TEUs of container cargo as a transportation center of Northeast Asia. (Source: KFALIR Local News.)

Pyeongtaek Harbor (Feb 2003) (KFALIR)
The development and changes of Pyeongtaek Port is for the Gyeonggi Province ahead of schedule:

1. One of three major ports and selected as a national project of five major national development projects.
2. Increased financial investments for the construction of a port with the capacity to process 68 million tons annually from 62 berths by 2011.
3. Established route of container liners from Pyeongtaek to Chengdao (Oct 2000), Tianjin (Apr 2001), and Dalian (Sep 2001).
4. Established route of car ferries from Pyeongtaek to Wangwan Port of Rongcheng City in Shandong Province, China.
5. Exclusive piers of automobile carrier, iron carrier, and container are readily available.
6. Rapid increase of ocean-going vessels, 622 vessels in 1999, 997 vessels in 2000, an increase of 60.3% in the previous year.
7. Rapid increase cargo transported, 26.13 million tons in 1999, 31.12 million tons in 2000, an increase of 19.1% in the previous year.
8. CIQ available (Pyeongtaek Customs, Incheon Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)
9. Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek Port Corporation established and operational (public enterprise invested by Gyeonggi Province).
10. 19.4 million sq. meter port hinterland zone, and establishment of land transportation network accessible from all directions.
(Source: Port of Incheon)
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2004:
Population Songtan population: 110,000. (Source: Songtan)
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Songtan Shinjang Mall F-106 Reunion (Mark Donnelly) (Dec 2004)

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Mokcheon Underpass and Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass Completed After many years of delays, the Mokcheon Underpass and the Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass were completed in 2004. The projects were started in 2000, but delayed as plans were finalized on building of roads on both sides of the Kyongbu railway near the Shinjang Shopping Mall. These roads would tie in with new road construction through Mokcheon started in 2004.

Railway Crossing to Songbuk Farmers Market (1959) (Ed Stirling) (NOTE: The train is in the distance heading to Osan-ni. Note the closest crossing is marked (signal bar on right side of picture). The next unmarked crossing is what became the Mokcheon Underpass road that enters directly into the Farmers Market. In the distance is the Mokcheon Village to the left of the picture. Further down is the original road that was built to get the equipment initially onto the base. By 1959, it was simply a road to Shinjang-ni Village on the Seotan-myeon side of the base.)

By the late 1950s, there was also an unmarked pedestrian crossing of the railway in use by the residents of the Chicol Village area. (See 1959 photo above.) In the 1970s, a small manned rail crossing was added for people and vehicular traffic. Later in the mid-1970s the road was paved. When the Shinjang Overpass was built in 1978, the crossing was blocked. The Mokcheon pedestrian underpass — built between 2000-2004 — the connects to Tanhyeon Road (MSR-1) across from the entrance to the Songbuk Farmers’ Market. When the Mokcheon Underpass was built, a road was constructed to the top of the hill to the Shinjang 1-dong House Office and Jungang Church.

Railway Crossing on Mokcheon Road (Circa late 1970s) (51st FW Archives)
Railway Crossing on Mokcheon Road (Circa late 1970s) (51st FW Archives)

Railway Crossing on Mokcheon Road (Circa late 1970s) (51st FW Archives)
Train southbound on Kyongbu Line (1974) (Ken Shallenbarger)

In the 1990s, the Shinjang Mall area was converted to a pedestrian traffic only area to create a true shopping mall with parking lots surrounding it. Movable blockades were erected at the rail spur (Plaza Road) and near the Main Gate at the Phoenix Hotel. The street remained basically the same though it was upgraded. However, the biggest changes were in the back roads.

Jeyok Road that intersects Aragon Alley and Young Chon Alley connected to the top of the hill. In the process, the famous Hilltop Club was torn down on Young Chon Alley to make way for the road. On the other side of the mall, the Jungang Market Road was built to provide access to the shops along that side of the mall. When it was constructed, the houses that were in the way were torn down creating some concerns amongst those who were forced to relocate. Rodeo Alley cuts across the Shinjang Mall area. This whole process supposedly cost $10 million dollars in total costs — right-of-way easements, compensation for condemned buildings, and reconstruction costs — but we have not substantiated this amount. According to some shop owners, this conversion of the Mall benefitted only those along the mall as business dropped off significantly for those in the other back areas of the mall.

Mokcheon Underpass from Songbuk-dong side (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)

Mokcheon Underpass Tunnel (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)

Marker on Mokchan Underpass (Sep 2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)
Construction on the underpass officially started on 10 Feb 2000 and was completed on 1 Apr 2004. It was constructed by the Chalto Rail Construction Company. The overpass was 7 meter wide and 27 meter long. Max carrying load was 24 tons. (Source: Marker on Mokchan Underpass) The Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass — in the location of the old Mokchan Railway Crossing — was completed in 2004.

(L) Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan) (R) Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass looking towards Shinjang Mall Road (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan)

(L) Area to left of crossing as one heads into Songbuk-dong. Compare this photo to the same area in the 1959 photo. This area now filled with deserted houses and structures that are collapsing. (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan) (R) Area to right of crossing as one heads into Songbuk-dong.

(L) Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass Street looking toward Railway (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan) (R) Intersection to Mokcheon Pedestrian Underpass Street (2005) (Kalani O’Sullivan) (NOTE: Used to be police box location in 1960s-1970s.)

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Pyongtaek Residents Sue over Noise (May 2004) On 3 May 2004, people living near Osan AB and Camp Humphreys filed a suit alleging the bases cause noise pollution, and asked the government for compensation. The collective suit, signed by 368 residents around the Osan Air Base and 162 near the Camp Humphreys area, where U.S. military planes frequently operate, seeks 1 million won (US$853) in compensation for each claimant, which comes to 530 million won in total.

This is a ploy in recent years that is more of a harassment technique by anti-American NGO groups — especially Green Korea. The problem is that the US can NOT be sued and the lands are granted for the use of the US by the ROK government. The ROK government is liable. So the activists go to civil courts and get a ruling from a sympathetic judge against the US — NOT the ROK. Then they take the ruling to the ROK government and attempt to get them to pay. The ROK government then turns around and requests the USFK to shoulder the bill as the ruling is against the USFK — not the ROK government. Up till this time, the USFK has refused to pay any of the damages that it considers unwarranted. This ploy was used dealing with the Kooni Range where the ROK refused to pay the damages awarded by the ROK and attempted to get the USFK to pay. The USFK refused. Since that time, the USFK has switched to the Cho-do range off of Kunsan AB for live firing missions and has shut down the Kooni Range. (See Hanguk University for article of environmental NGO group with anti-USFK slant.)

The ROK government has instituted a study of noise levels around USFK bases to determine the actual damage if any to the citizens in 2004. The activists have also filed the same noise complaint suits against the ROKAF bases as well. This is a follow-up survey. In 1996, the ROK conducted a nationwide noise survey of all air bases (ROK and USFK) in Korea. Osan AB was found to be the noisiest of all the USFK bases with levels highest during the day. There were claims from NGO environmental activists that the noise levels were reaching the threshold where it posed a serious health hazard to the surrounding community. However, no official action was taken from the Pyeongtaek City government though the results were documented in its historical data.

The 1996 survey found that the Osan AB noise levels were 96.0db, while Euijongbu was 78.4db; Chunchon was 82.0db; and Kunsan was 94.0db. The survey found that Osan noise levels were between 50-55db in the morning and between 40-48db at night. The noise levels measured on the street was 65db during the day and 55db at night. (Source: Pyeongtaek City History CD, “Pyeongtaek Si Sa.”)

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is hearing loss due to exposure to either a sudden, loud noise or exposure to loud noises for a period of time. A dangerous sound is anything that is 85 dB (sound pressure level – SPL) or higher. (NOTICE THAT THE OSAN AB LEVEL WAS 96.0db.) Sound pressure is measured in decibels (dB). Like a temperature scale, the decibel scale goes below zero. The average person can hear sounds down to about 0 dB, the level of rustling leaves. Some people with very good hearing can hear sounds down to -15 dB. If a sound reaches 85 dB or stronger, it can cause permanent damage to your hearing. The amount of time you listen to a sound affects how much damage it will cause. The quieter the sound, the longer you can listen to it safely. If the sound is very quiet, it will not cause damage even if you listen to it for a very long time; however, exposure to some common sounds can cause permanent damage. With extended exposure, noises that reach a decibel level of 85 can cause permanent damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, leading to hearing loss. (Source: Hearing Loss.)
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SSgt Sedrick Byrd working on engine at Osan AB (Jul 2004) (USAF Photo) (13 Dec 2004)

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A 36th FS F-16 Fighting Falcon taxies during Exercise Beverly Midnight. (USAF Photo) (13 Dec 2004)

An A-10 carrying Santa arrives in time for Christmas dinner with about 200 25th Fighter Squadron and 51st Maintenance Squadron personnel. (USAF Photo) (9 Dec 2004)

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Songtan Bar Owners and Russians Evicted (July 2004) In about July 2004, the ROK Immigration moved to evict the Russian element from Korean “camptowns” because of the ever increasing international pressure over prostitution and human trafficking. In addition there was growing evidence that the Russian gangs were moving into Korea for extortion and prostitution. In Apr 2004, the Pyeongtaek police arrested a Uzbek gang leader and 14 gang members who were extorting money from Uzbekistan victims. They identified their victims through travel agencies in Vladivostok, Russia, selecting people looking for jobs in Korea. After picking up the job-searchers at the airport, the gang took them to Cheonan, stripped them of their passports and turned them over to factories in the Gyeonggi area. The gang received 231,000 won ($200) per person from the factory, and 115,000 won per month from the workers in exchange for linking them up with the jobs. Since forming the gang last May, the group has amassed around 76 million won from 74 people. Most of the victims were workers who entered Korea on tourist visas or students whose visas had expired. The gangsters threatened to harm worker뭩 family members back home if the victims didn뭪 make their monthly payments. Other Russian gangs were creating problems in the Pusan area and one enterprising Russian gang set up a prostituton ring in Mokpo via the internet. The Russian “entertainer” problem was getting out of hand.

By Sept 2004, the Russian element was gone — though there were rumors that some Russians girls had run away instead of being deported. This was a prelude to the Korean anti-Prostitution campaign that the ROK government kicked off in Sept 2004.

Though the Philippines had asked for a restriction of the E-6 visas for “entertainers,” it has almost half-heartedly pressed the matter. Instead, it set up legal assistance for those Filipina “entertainers” who claimed to have been abused. After the Russians were evicted, the Wing Commander attempted a different tactic in trying to prevent the Filipinas from dancing (if in violation of their contracts — which most are).

Russian dancer at Road House (2002)

Under the new ROK law a mandatory three-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of engaging in human trafficking for the sex trade. Members of organized crime would get a minimum of five years. Another new law offers rewards of 20 million won (around $17,000) for information leading to the conviction of human traffickers. Another provision lets the government confiscate all proceeds and property earned through the illegal sex trade. An additional new wrinkle would differentiate legally between women involuntarily in the sex trade (who would be classified as victims) and those who are determined to voluntarily sell sex (who would be punished as criminals). However, most Koreans look upon these new laws with skepticism as the “crackdown” in Sept 2004 will simply give way to “enforcement” in Oct 2004. In the past, it meant no action unless the spotlight is focused on the problem.

Filipinas of Songtan (Songtan After Dark)

The bottom line is that for Korea it was business as usual, but for the Americans and Songtan, there may be some massive changes in the future. There looms the UCMJ Article 134 change that will make it punishable by one year in prison and a dishonorable discharge if one goes with a prostitute. This will spell the death knell for Songtan bars if it comes about…and a nightmare for the Wing Commander that he cannot even imagine as he will have lost complete control of the sex trade dealing with his personnel. (NOTE: Though announced by the USFK in late 2004, it still has not been pushed in Korea in mid-2005 meaning that it still had not been put on the books — for whatever reason.) As it is now, his “off-limits” power allows him to “influence” the bars. With the new UCMJ change, the sex trade will go to the internet/cellphones and go underground — just as it did when the Korean National Police attempted to crackdown on Korean prostitution in Sept 2004. The Wing Commander will be powerless. (NOTE: The new Article 134 was announced with great fanfare in mid-2004 and was to go to the 2004 Judiciary Review in Dec 2004. According to the DoD, it was expected to be on the books in early 2005, but nothing has been heard of it as of May 2005.)
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Osan AB Dummies on Drugs In 2004, the Korean National Police in Pyeongtaek arrested two Osan AB employees for shipping into Korea 100 pounds of hashish in sealed cans and a doll. Supposedly the hashish was for their “personal use,” but they sold the remainder to other non-Koreans. The individuals were identified as Muhammed Khan, 21, and Chris Alexander, 46. According to police, Khan worked in the Osan child care system and Alexander worked at the car sales lot. The arrests were part of a larger anti-drug operation that has resulted in a dozen arrests of non-Koreans in recent weeks, said an investigator with the Korean National Police뭩 Pyongtaek station. Others arrested include citizens of Canada, Russia, Great Britain and India.
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USFK Curfew for Human Trafficking or Force Protection? (Sep-Dec 2004) On 24 Sept 2004, USFK imposed a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until further notice because of possible violence in South Korea stemming from Korea’s military involvement in Iraq. The USFK action followed a message issued by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul that warned of possible demonstrations and violence against American facilities and personnel in South Korea because of “the recent public announcement regarding the dispatch of Korean troops to Iraq.” The USFK stated, “Tourist and shopping areas in the vicinity of USFK bases are considered especially vulnerable to terrorist attacks and American citizens should avoid these places as much as possible.” The curfew restrictions applied not only to active-duty military personnel, but also to civilian employees and contractors and their families — which raised the ire of civilians and contractors who claimed even Baghdad had no such curfew.

The problem was that though the USFK set up force protection procedures, the US Embassy nor any government agency issued any travel advisories nor any restrictions to government employees. It was a generic warning that was issued — NOT a specific warning as the USFK claimed. Many started to immediately question the curfew for “force protection” as a guise to prosecute the USFK’s “morality” campaign against human trafficking and prostitution. (See A-town and Prostitution for details on this campaign and the USFK “morality” crusade.) The curfew seemed to be suspiciously timed to coincide with the month-long ROK crackdown on red-light districts and prostitution. The move to shut down the sex industry that is estimated to account for 2.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was a tall order. (NOTE: Other ROK reports state that it is 4.0 percent of GDP — about $22 billion annually.) By October, ancillary businesses relying on the sex trade (beauty shops, restaurants, saunas, hotels) were failing and 10,000 prostitutes were in the streets staging protests nationwide. The whole crackdown was a fiasco as in the end the Korean National Police had to pay informants in order to make arrests. For all the turmoil, the results were an embarassment. (See A-town and Prostitution for details on the ROK anti-prostitution campaign.)

The Songtan Bar Owners Association protested the USFK curfew as it was curtailing their business. Previous actions following the Sep 11 terrorist attack had taken its toll. There were also the actions to limit the prostitution aspects of the Songtan bar trade which had cut deeply into the profits of the bars — and now the curfew impacted it even more. The 24 Sep curfew coincided with the start of the 5-day Chusok holiday, a major national event in which many businesses close and South Koreans travel for extended visits with relatives. The curfew also put a damper on a four-day weekend for many U.S. military personnel, who were taking Monday and Tuesday off as “training holidays.” In essence, the holiday did NOT extend to Songtan.

After heated debate especially in the Letters to the Editor of the Stars and Stripes, the curfew was moved to midnight-7am. The closing hours returned to previous times, but the 7am curfew end to some appeared to be a blatant measure to ensure that those military personnel or civilians unauthorized to live downtown could not make it to work on time if they stayed downtown with their girlfriends. Again protests started to appear in the Stars and Stripes editorials.

To resolve this controversy, a USFK wide curfew policy was placed into effect on 23 Dec 2004. The USFK set the time at 0100 on weekdays and weekends and the curfew ended at 5am in the morning. Civilians and contractors — and foreign national dependents — were exempted from the curfew — though they could be stopped if in off-limits areas. It was a reasonable compromise and applied to ALL personnel affiliated with the USFK.

However, the civilians were already up in arms over what they claimed as the restrictions of their freedom and demanded “back pay” from Sep 2004 for the time spent confined to their quarters. The USFK fired back that the curfew was for “force protection.” The union fired back that such a claim was unsupportable. The USFK fired back that the civilians had not proved that they were impacted by their use of their free time at home and besides, the claim was now too late. The union elevated the matter to its national headquarters and petitions to organize a union at Osan AB was circulating. It looked like a show-down would be brewing in 2005 between the Civilian union and USFK. (See A-town and Prostitution for details on the curfew issue.)
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Won against the Dollar continues to Decline (Dec 2004) At the end of 2004, the won grew stronger against the dollar and at the end of November 2004 the rate had declined to 1050 won: one dollar. What this meant was that the GIs had less buying power for their buck — and it directly impacted on how much money the GIs would be spending in the bars and the monies for those living on the economy for rent/water/electricity. The Korean economy was in a recession and the bar owners were beset by their own problems to pay their bills and take care of their families. Times were changing — and all for the worst. There were signs that the won’s decline against the dollar would continue into 2005.

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Osan Main Gate Construction Complete (Aug 2003) According to the Stars and Stripes on 3 Aug 2004, the construction on the Osan Main Gate was nearly complete. Workers recently completed a redesign of Osan’s Main and Beta gates, a project that included installation of various anti-terrorism devices. Similar work is now under way at Osan’s Doolittle Gate. The interior of the visitors’ center at Main Gate of Osan Air Base, South Korea, after it was re-designed. A newly installed vehicle search area inside the Main Gate at Osan Air Base, South Korea, is one of numerous anti-terrorist upgrades made to two of the base gates. (See 2003 Story of construction.)

Officials closed Doolittle Gate on July 17 so workers could install a variety of improvements including new tire shredders, pop-up wedges that put a steel barrier in the roadway; post-like barriers positioned to hinder ramming by a vehicle; new 밺rop-arm?vehicle barriers; a chain-link fence and landscaping. Also on the job list: re-paving the visitors?center parking area. The work at Doolittle Gate ?scheduled to re-open Sept. 22 ?marks the final stage of a $2.85 million project that began in September when officials closed the Main Gate and Beta Gate and began similar upgrades.

The Main Gate reopened June 24 after workers had built a roadside search turn-off; a new brick wall; a new, roomier guard station and a search dog kennel. They also installed pop-up wedges, barrier posts, new drop-arm vehicle barriers, tire shredders, completed new landscaping and rebuilt a stairway. Roadways weren뭪 enlarged but workers changed the configuration of traffic lanes within those roadways to improve traffic flow.

The Beta Gate reopened July 17 with a new roadside turn-off, guard station, dog kennel, swing gates, chain link fence and landscaping. The Seoung Bu Construction Co. is doing the work under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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President Roh Impeached (Mar 2004) (See Roh Impeached: March 2004 for details of the impeachment.) On 12 March President Roh was impeached to the shock of the nation. However, he had repeatedly threatened to resign in the past as political ploys — and it now came back to haunt him. In October 2003, Roh announced he would hold a referendum on his leadership and promised to step down if he lost. The vote, originally proposed for mid-December, was postponed indefinitely amid legal concerns as some suggested it was unconstitutional. Then Roh repeatedly stated that he would resign if the amount of his illegal slush funds for the 2002 presidential election were found to have exceeded a tenth of that for the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP). Though the prosecutors claim that Roh’s side took in about 11.2 billion won ($9.4 million) from South Korean businessmen, Roh disputes the claim that they did. The GNP supposedly took in 84 billion ($72 million). The probe was suspended until after the April 15 elections.

But the impeachment was justified NOT by the larger issues, but by a trivial issue. The reason he was the object of the nation’s first impeachment motion was that he voiced publicly his support for the Uri Party (Our Open Party). This was against the local election law that states that government officials in office must remain neutral. However, some still question the legality of the ruling. Roh is a politician as well as President. He was ELECTED to office (not appointed) and in that sense has a dual hat — government official AND politician. Normally, the President is the head of his party — but Roh is unaffiliated. The election watchdog ruled against him — a first in itself as it has never been done for a standing President. Though Roh stated that he respects the National Election Commission ruling that bans public officials from campaigning for a political party, he stated he had the right to say what he did.

The Opposition leaped on this as an excuse to demand an apology. Roh refused to make a public apology which started the ball rolling. The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) launched the impeachment motion. The impeachment proceedings started on the 9th of March, but legislators from the Uri Party held the Assembly chamber hostage for three days. Because of a deadline of voting, the ruling parties ramrodded the measure through. It turned out to be a serious miscalculation as the public turned against them.

Roh’s powers were officially suspended at 5:15 p.m./12 March. Prime Minister Goh Kun, a career politician and former Seoul mayor, took over the reins of power until the Constitutional Court approves or rejected the impeachment motion. While the issue was before the Constitutional Court, Goh acted in a calm manner and deftly prevented the situation from turning into a riot. Prime Minister Goh has been given high marks by the media in handling the ticklish situation of calming the populace while at the same time not appearing to ursurp any of President Roh’s authority. Meetings with USFK and other dignitaries also aided to calm the citizenry. Though not unanimous, the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment.

In the April elections, the newly formed Uri Party won a resounding victory in reaction to the high-handed manner the MDP and GNP had ram-rodded the measure through. Then Roh joined the ruling Uri Party. However, soon Roh’s policies again created him problems and his popularity ratings continued to fall. By the end of the year, his personal attacks on the new chairman of the GNP and daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, Park Geun Hye, backfired and the GNP gained its credibility back.

Soon Roh’s actions to use his majority to ram-rod his own legislation through the National Assembly by moving the capital without a referendum, attacks on the “gangster press” (conservative newspapers critical of him); ecology issues with the Saemangeum Project and many more — not counting the USFK problems — put into hot water. The Constitutional Court overruled his Capital relocation plan; the newspaper reform bills languished and environmentalists turned against him for proceeding with the Saemangeum project. Many more fiascos including constant shifts in his cabinet as one after another resigned amidst allegations of corruption. His pledge of “clean” politics was tarnished.

By year’s end, he looked like a lame duck to Koreans — but a festering thorn in the side of the USFK.

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USFK Reductions (Jan 2004) Within the Roh camp, there was a lot of dissention over the Roh administration’s policy to be “independent of the U.S.” The USFK and CFC will relocate completely to Pyongtaek by “mutual agreement” following the 6th Round of the Future of the ROK-US Alliance in Hawaii in Jan 2004. However, the ROK continued to attempt to “control” the situation by claiming the the USFK cost estimate of $9.5 billion would be as low as $3 billion.

The Americans, however, insisted on moving the Yongsan Garrison completely out of the city. All U.S. military facilities located at the Yongsan Garrison, including the Combined Forces Command and the UN Command, are to be moved to locations south of the Han River by the end of 2007. It was known that the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, taking into account anti-American feelings in South Korea, order the move to be carried out regardless of land offers from the Korean side. He asked whether Americans would accept a foreign army camped out in New York’s Central Park.

The oft-promised 3000 man dispatch scheduled for April 2003 (later increased to 3,600 men) was repeatedly slipped. Thus the US decided to withdraw the 2d Brigade of the 2d ID — a total of 3,600 men — in June 2004. Though the 3,600 number was said to be coincidental and the movement of the troops unrelated to the ROK promised troops, the viewers of the world could see it for what it was. The US was fed-up with its reluctant ally, and took unilateral action. To send its message home, the USFK stated the forces deployed to Iraq would NOT be returning. Soon afterward the ROK dispatched its troops to Irbil in Iraq — a relatively peaceful area where the ROK has been “safe” while the US casualties continued to mount. (NOTE: The ROK Army’s renowned reputation as fearless fighters from Vietnam has been severely tarnished through no fault of their own — but due to politics of President Roh to “hide” his forces where they would not be harmed for fear of public opinion. The troops are all volunteers and they should not be faulted in this affair.)

The next bombshell was in June 2004 at the FOTA, the US notified the ROK that it was pulling out a total of 12,000 troops and the relocation of Yongsan would be complete by Dec 2005. The ROK refused to acknowledge that the US was playing hardball and the ROK’s old “stall-and-conquer” techniques were not going to work. The announcement for these changes would probably have been announced earlier, but President Roh was impeached in March and the US had to wait until his impeachment was overruled. On 19 May, the Constitution Courts overruled the impeachment, and on 20 May the US notified the ROK of the 3600-man pull-out.

In Sept 2004, the US has informed the ROK that it would delay in part its previously announced reduction of US ground forces on the peninsula. The US had said it would cut a third of the 37,500 U.S. troops stationed in Korea by the end of 2005, prompting concerns in Seoul of a sudden security vacuum. The ROK had asked the US to put off the planned cutback until 2007. The ROK Zaytun (Olive Branch) troops left for Iraq shortly thereafter.

After the agreement to relocate Yongsan Garrison outside of Seoul and pull the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division from the border, the two countries agreed that South Korea would take charge of 10 missions by 2006, including counter-artillery operations. The new agreement to delay the withdrawals until 2008 apparently reflects the slow progress of the turnover of 10 strategic duties to Korean forces.

The withdrawal of 12,500 U.S. troops from Korea, originally scheduled for completion by 2005, has been stretched over a three-year, three-stage period ending in 2008. Plans to withdraw one battalion of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), which are a key component of the allied response to North Korean artillery, have been cancelled. In addition, plans to remove one of USFK’s three AH-64 Apache attack helicopter battalions (one battalion has 24 choppers) was cancelled; most of the helicopters will remain in Korea. The schedule of the reductions calls for 5,000 troops, including the 3,600 men of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division who were transferred to Iraq earlier, to be withdrawn by the end of 2004 as the first stage. Stage two would see 3,000 troops withdrawn in 2005 and 2,000 withdrawn in 2006. The reduction would focus on some combat units. The third and final stage would see 2,500 men, primarily in support units, withdrawn.

In addition, much of the combat equipment of the units to be withdrawn will remain on the Korean Peninsula so that U.S. reinforcement could use it in times of emergency. (NOTE: In 2004, the ROK wishfully thought the upgraded MA-1A tanks would remain in Korea after the 2d Bde, 2d ID was sent to Iraq, but the removal was one immediate and one of the largest moves in USFK history. In 2005, these “promises” of leaving equipment were being reconsidered because of the ROK’s reneging on its “promised” increases in defense spending and cost sharing.)

By the end of 2004, it looked like a bucket of worms — and the USFK-ROK alliance was in big trouble. The ROK refused to pay for its “share” for the upgrade of ROK C4SI (communication and intel computerization) — claiming the USFK should foot the bill. The end result was that the ROK got nothing — and now the ROK has NO capability. In addition, the ROK was balking on paying its “share” of its defense. To end the Future of the Alliance (FOTA) meetings, these discussions on cost-sharing were removed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-USFK level upgraded to US-ROK Ministerial levels. Going into 2005, things were shaky at best. (See Relocation of USFK (2004) for detailed information.)
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Ssangyong Pyongtaek Plant To Double Production by 2007 In 2004 SsangYong Motor, the nation’s fourth-largest automaker, said Tuesday it has begun construction to expand its plant with the intention of doubling its production capacity by 2007. Once the first-phase program costing 2.2 trillion won is completed by April 2005, the plant will be able to churn out 300,000 vehicles annually at its plant in Pyongtaek, about 70 kilometers south of Seoul. Its second-stage expansion plan will be completed in 2007, raising its annual production capacity to 400,000. (Source: The Korea Times (Aug 11, 2004))

Ssangyong is Korea’s off-roaders specialist. Thanks to the technology transferred from Mercedes-Benz, it developed some good off-roaders from zero within a few years. In 1997, the Pyeongtaek plant opened a dedicated line for the Chairman sedan — a luxury car.

Ssangyong Pyeongtaek Plant

Sales figure: Sold 126,000 units of off-roaders in 2001, nearly unchanged from the previous year.
Location: Pyeongtaek – main assembly plant, head office and R&D center. Having capacity for building 210,000 units annually. Changwon – engine and gearbox plant.
Brief History: The history of Ssangyong started in 1954 when Hadongwahn Motor was founded. It was later renamed to Dong-A Motor. The company became a manufacturer of commercial trucks, fire engines and other special purpose vehicles during the 70s. In the early 80s, Dong-A acquired SUV maker Keowha, which made 4WD offroaders licensed from Jeep. The merged company was renamed to Ssangyong in 1986 and started concentrating on SUVs.

The turning point was in 1991, when it signed an agreement with Mercedes for transferring its engine technology and helped it developing light commercial vehicles. This is why you can see many Ssangyong cars and SUVs are equipped with Mercedes straight-sixes. The Musso of 1993 and Korando of 1996 successfully opened the door of global SUV market for Ssangyong. Later, Mercedes even helped Ssangyong developed its first passenger car – the Chairman luxurious sedan.

To produce the Mercedes engines, Ssangyong built its second plant in Changwon. The aggressive expansion led to its bankruptcy during the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The company was bought by Daewoo in 1998 and its SUVs and Chairman were rebadged as Daewoo. The name Ssangyong disappeared for a while until 2000, when Daewoo itself went into receivership. Ssangyong, with its stronger basis in SUV business and the better prospect of global SUV market, received support from its creditors and spun off from Daewoo. Ssangyong has been back to independent since 2000. Now run by creditors, Ssangyong has regained stable sales and production. However, for a company this small, finding a stronger owner is just a matter of time. (NOTE: In 2004, the employees went on strike following an offer by a Chinese company to purchase the plant. The employees feared layoffs. The initial offer fell through, but Ssangyong was taken over by a Chinese company in the end. In Nov 2005, unionized workers at Ssangyong Motors Co., Korea’s fourth-largest carmaker, said they will go on strike if the company’s largest shareholder Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. reneges on a pledge to invest $1 billion in the company’s domestic factory. The 2004 pledge was made when the Chinese company bought 48.9 percent of Ssangyong for $500 million. The workers oppose Shanghai Auto’s plan to build Ssangyong Kyron sport utility vehicles in China. As of Nov 2005, the strike vote was approved, but the union was holding off to see if the Chinese company delivered on its pledge.)

The Ssangyong sports utility lines, such as Musso, Rexton and Korando, plus the Chairman limousine show the technological standard that Ssangyong have achieved, in addition, the light commercial vehicle line is built upon 40 years of Ssangyong experience and 100 years of Mercedes-Benz’s expertise, Ssangyong’s factory planning team are dedicated to develop ergonomically and technically sound vehicles.

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35th ADA

35th ADA Bde joins 48th ADA Bde at Osan The ROK-US Combined Forces Command (CFC) stated on 30 Apr 2004, the USFK was to deploy two more Patriot antimissile batteries and establish an air defense brigade in Korea in the fall. The CFC said the 35th Air Defense Brigade, located at Fort Bliss, Texas, was to be deployed to Korea to control the new weapons system. Two batteries of 425 troops, armed with the Patriot Advanced Capability 2 and 3 missiles, would deploy to Gwangju Air Base and the 125-member brigade headquarters will be located at Osan Air Base. The additional deployment is the part of the $1.1 billion U.S. enhancement plan announced last year as part of the U.S. commitment to defend South Korea, a CFC statement said. “The deployment of this strictly defensive missile unit brings additional deterrent capabilities to the peninsula,” said Lt. Gen. Charles C. Campbell, chief of staff of the Combined Forces Command and commanding general of Eight U.S. Army.

The agreement on the additional deployment was reached in May 2003 between South Korean Defense Minister Cho Yung-kil and CFC Commander Gen. Leon J. LaPorte. The arrival of the new air defense missile systems came amid a standoff over North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons. (Source: Korean Embassy.)

On order, 35th ADA deploys to a designated theater of operation and protects critical assets to ensure the CINC’s freedom of action. When directed, re-deploy as needed to support offensive operations. Korea is the “on order” mission of 35th Brigade. The 35th ADA was tasked to deploy to South Korea to support execution of OPLAN 5027. But the movement of the Brigade to South Korea in late 2004 did not indicate that execution of this OPLAN was imminent. The 35th ADA Patriot assets are incorporated into a modified structure under the 48th ADA Bde (Patriots).

Patriot (1998) (PeiMic)

The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade became fully operational on the Korean peninsula by the end of 2004. The Army deployed the brigade, which had been stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, to South Korea. Its new headquarters at Osan Air Base, 48 miles south of Korea’s Demilitarized Zone. The Army Patriot missile brigade deploying from the United States to South Korea began moving into its newly built headquarters in October 2004. The brigade marked completing its deployment to South Korea with a formal ceremony sometime in December 2004. By then, the brigade numbered about 1,200 soldiers and maintain eight firing batteries at four air bases: Osan, Suwon, Kunsan and Kwangju. A battery is composed of eight launchers of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles, each having 4 and 16 interceptors, respectively. (Source: GlobalSecurity.org: 35th ADA.) (See 1994 for 48th ADA Bde.)