Korean Civilian Workers Worry About Being Furloughed By USFK
It seems that Korean workers would only be furloughed if there was U.S. troop cuts in South Korea. This is essentially what happened in the 2004-2005 timeframe when 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division was removed from the peninsula which helped lead to a number of U.S. military camp closures. We are not at that point yet with the current cost sharing issue:
Either on normal tours of duty or under a rotational scheme, American troops have comfortably adapted to their new lives in Korea thanks to seamless administrative, health, transportation, communications and cleaning services on the ground.
At the core of their adaptation is a little-known group of around 12,500 South Korean workers, many of whom are gripped by concerns that they could face unpaid leave or furloughs should defense cost-sharing talks between Seoul and Washington go awry.
The concerns have hardened into fears for Kim Hyun-woo, agitated by the passing thought that he could fail to bring home the bacon should he be furloughed by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), albeit temporarily. He used an alias due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“Though my wife works part time, I am the breadwinner, shouldering all costs related to food, mortgage repayments, education fees for my children and so on. You know what would happen to my family should I be forced to go on leave,” Kim told Yonhap News Agency.
“I hope that my worries about the furlough will be cleared soon, but I also wish that South Korea and the U.S. can find a good compromise, not a hurried one that could end up damaging the interests of both sides,” he added.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
The American tax payers have shared the burden of South Koreans defense for how many years? We have open our hearts, our Universities and even immigration to our country. Korea is no longer poor. Step up Chairman Moon are you may be working for Chairman Kim.
On base workers on that uncle sam gravy train, now sad he won’t get his cut of that sweet black market money.
Yonhap wrote “seamless administrative, health, transportation, communications and cleaning services on the ground”.
Somehow, that’s not what people have told me over the years…
Mind you, I am certain it was more fun than many other places; but “seamless”?
@setnaffa
Yonhap is full of shit. The on-post services were either lazy, incompetent or never there when you need them. They have the easiest jobs in the world and they get ROK and US holidays off. Boo hoo if they get furloughed.
Saw a DPW worker this year hanging a sign on a wall, to find the studs he just took a hammer and a nail and poked the nail into the wall in a line till he found the studs. Seamless no doubt.
I bet he makes 50 million won a year too.
The truly hardest working men & women were our “houseboys” & “housegirls” probably old enough to be our parents. $38 bucks a month and I had to do almost nothing in the barracks. Now the other “workers” on the post, not so much…
House boys a thing of a bygone era….
Our houseboy got, if I remember right, about $8 or $10 a month fom each guy in the cubicle. 3 or 4 guys usually shared a cubicle or room. The houseboy also told us his family did not know he was working at the camp. He said he would be disgraced if his family found out. Korean culture looked down on individuals working for americans or foreigners.
That houseboy was making a fortune back then for Korea. Someone’s brother or son went to college.
Seamless ? I think not. I literally watched a korean maintenance worker and his “helper” take several hours to check bulbs in our emergency exit signs. Don’t even get me going on the lack of English skills which cause major issues when dealing with important matters such as housing and medical. The sense of dread you have when you walk into an office and see that the person there to assist you is a National….overwhelmingly felt by most. The worst part is that they seem to gain great satisfaction from refusing to help you.
Everything about the alliance benefits Korea. Period. And frankly I’m wondering if anyone would notice if they all disappeared.