Picture of the Day: US Naval Forces Korea Building Relocated to Busan
This photo taken on Feb. 19, 2016 shows the U.S. Naval Forces Korea building inside South Korea’s naval base in the southeastern coastal city of Busan, which was relocated from Seoul’s Yongsan Garrison. (Yonhap)
It makes a lot of sense to have the U.S. Naval Forces HQ in Busan. I never understood why it was at Yongsan although it was nice to have some Navy around in the “Sea of Green” where I found myself. I guess this seals the deal after the Navy Club on Yongsan shutdown last year.
@GIKorea – do you know if the Navy Club also relocated to Busan?
@Tagum City Tim, I have not seen anything stating that the club would be relocated to Busan. I would think having a Navy Club of the quality of the one that used to be on Yongsan would be difficult with the much smaller servicemember population in Busan. The Navy Club on Yongsan was popular it seemed with every branch of the military on Yongsan when it was open.
@GIKorea, Thanks for that. I know that it would be a smaller version of what was happening on Yongsan. I just thought you, with your finger on the pulse of all things Korea would know if anyone did.
According to The Plan, everything has to relocate from Yongsan eventually. Except for maybe the Dragon Hill and whatever Embassy facilities there are.
I was at Yongsan for a year in joint unit, had some Navy coworkers and spent quality times at the Navy Club. The only time I remember going into the Navy HQ building was to attend a promotion frocking ceremony for a coworker.
@JoeC Glad you interacted with us Navy folks while you were at Yongsan and enjoyed arguably the best club in all of Korea. Unfortunately the climate and the clientele in Busan will not be as robust as it was on Yongsan and I feel any attempt to reconstitute “The Navy Club” will fall far short of expectations.
The Navy Club didn’t open in Busan A few select memorabilia items were moved into the new HQs building in a break room and some were moved to the Chinhae Navy Base on post club/restaurant. I had heard the Army wanted to move the Navy Club to Camp Humphries and have Army MWR run it but the Navy refused choosing instead to see it closed.
@NC47, thanks for the update. It is too bad if that is the case that the Navy did not allow the Navy Club to relocate to Camp Humphreys.
@NC47, thanks for the update. I agree with the Navy’s decision. In my opinion the Army could never run that club as well as it was run on Yongsan anyway. What made the Navy Club unique was it’s nautical charm and the way it kept to Navy traditions while being inclusive of the varied clientele on Yongsan.
@8 Agreed.
One of the things that made the Navy Club ‘The Navy Club’ was you went there with Navy people to celebrate and participate in some uniquely Navy customs and rituals. None of the other services could replicate that.