Hongdae to Be Put Back On Limits?
Watch out English teachers because you may soon lose your monopoly on the girls at Hongdae if USFK Command Sergeant Major Barry Wheeler has his way:
U.S. Forces Korea’s top enlisted soldier said Wednesday that he will ask the command about allowing members of the U.S. military community to visit Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood again.
Command Sgt. Maj. Barry Wheeler made the comments on an American Forces Network broadcast Wednesday morning after an anonymous soldier called the station expressing frustration that the popular party area remains off-limits at night to U.S. troops.
USFK commander Gen. B.B. Bell banned his personnel from entering the neighborhood between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. for “force protection” concerns in February after a U.S. soldier brutally raped a 67-year-old woman in the neighborhood on Jan. 14.
Pvt. Geronimo Ramirez later was sentenced to four years in prison by a South Korean court.
“I’m going to ask them to reconsider (the ban), because maybe enough time has gone by,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler cautioned that command may keep Hongdae off-limits anyway.
Which is probably what the command probably will do. CSM Wheeler was probably just being diplomatic when faced with a tough question. The biggest problem with Hongdae is that alcohol, GIs, Korean college students, xenophobia, and a hostile media do not mix well. The Great Shinchon Massacre is the greatest example of this.
It irks me that USFK cites Force Protection as a reason for Hongdae being offlimits, and for the curfew. That is an outright lie, period.
Also, I was listening to that radio interview. Sounded more like CSM Wheeler was giving a cop out answer on Hongdae. He didn't sound like he really cared about the Hongdae issue, and he definitely didn't sound like he was gonna press the issue.
That is what I figured, that he gave the soldier the soldier the answer he wanted to hear but knowing full well the command probably won't change the policy.
The only force protection reason to keep Hongdae off limits is to protect GIs from Korean mobs looking to beat down GIs such as with the Shinchon Stabbing Incident and then you have the idiots that commit crimes over there that just feed the anti-US sentiment in the colleges that legitimize the mobs that beat down GIs.
[…] [GI Korea] Hongdae to Be Put Back On Limits? Published: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:03:47 +0000 Watch out English teachers because you may soon lose your monopoly on the girls at Hongdae if USFK Command Sergeant Major Barry Wheeler has his way: U.S. Forces Korea’s top enlisted soldier said Wednesday that he will ask the command about allowing members of the U.S. military community to visit Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood again. Command Sgt. Maj. […] Read More… […]
The ban is beyond stupid, and I wish the leadership would focus on punishing those who screw up and not the HUGE majority of us who don't.
I'll clarify, there's no REAL Force Protection reason for the ban, or curfew. Last time I hung out in Itaewon, I almost got into a fight with 4 other Infantry soldiers that I don't know. At least in Hongdae, I could probably take whoever starts trouble.
The only thing he cares about is that you’re wearing your SAPI plates, Oakleys, knee/elbow pads, and carrying blanks.