Chosun Ilbo Comes Out Against Changes to Yongsan Relocation Plan
The leading conservative daily in Korea, the Chosun Ilbo is not happy with the announced changes to the Yongsan Garrison relocation plan:
Korea and the U.S. have agreed to keep the Combined Forces Command in Seoul even after the U.S. Forces Korea headquarters moves to Pyeongtaek in 2016. The CFC compound accounts for between eight to nine percent of the total area of the U.S. garrison right in the middle of Seoul.
If the housing compound for American Embassy staff is included, the total area of the base that the U.S. will continue to use rises to 17 percent. A Defense Ministry official claimed relocating the CFC further south would make it “difficult” to establish a smooth command system in conjunction with South Korean top brass in an emergency.
The official claimed that it would cost an additional W400 billion (US$1=W1,058) to relocate the CFC to Pyeongtaek. These are all valid reasons.
But Korea and the U.S. are in the process of building a new military base in Pyeongtaek at a cost of almost W9 trillion. Supporters say the move would help the U.S. military’s capabilities. The CFC was to be among the facilities being relocated, and the budget had taken that into account. Now the military is saying that the CFC should stay in Seoul. That is an absurd reversal.
The government hopes to build a 2.64 million sq.m park at the Yongsan site that rivals New York’s Central Park. The relocation of the U.S. garrison is also a highly symbolic event that signifies the return of land back to the Korean people after being used by foreign armies for around a century.
When Seoul and Washington agreed in 2004 to relocate the Yongsan base to Pyeongtaek, then U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said it was absurd to have a foreign military base sitting in the middle of a nation’s capital. Seoul agreed to shoulder the entire cost of the relocation because the Korean public agreed with Rumsfeld’s view.
But now, the symbolic significance of the relocation is about to lose its luster although trillions of won in taxpayer’s money have been spent. (Chosun Ilbo)
You can read more at the link, but the Chosun thinks the land should be developed into a park with some land sold to make apartments to offset the cost.
At least they are using the correct program name. The good old Chosun Ilbo (fair and balanced, unafraid, etc.) might want to educate certain citizens of Dongducheon.
Oh here Choking Elbow lemme fix some of that for you…
“If the housing compound for American Embassy staff is included”
It’s not, the embassy falls under State and has nothing to do with USFK but of course you only brought it up to pad your numbers.
“These are all valid reasons.”
Well then STFU, your high-level officals have valid reasons so nuff said.
“Supporters say the move would help the U.S. military’s capabilities.”
If by removing a military operation from the cluster-F that is Seoul then yes by all means it would in numerous ways.
“The CFC was to be among the facilities being relocated, and the budget had taken that into account.”
This is their attempt to lay the framework for the claim that an immense amount of hard-earned Korean tax doll.. ermm.. won’s are wasted on nothing. Let’s get to that in a bit.
“That is an absurd reversal.”
Eh not really, it’s an adjustment. They happen, you know like how they adjusted the timeline a billion times. Or like how Korea’s adjusted when they’ll grow big enough nuttie buddies to defend their own country.
“The government hopes to build a 2.64 million sq.m park at the Yongsan site that rivals New York’s Central Park.”
Because that’s what’s important, keeping up with the Jones’. A park in Yongsan is not only a HUGE waste, it’s insulting. But F efficient use of public funds when there’s votes to be gotten!
“The relocation of the U.S. garrison is also a highly symbolic event that signifies the return of land back to the Korean people after being used by foreign armies for around a century.”
That should read [ used by foreign armies to keep the DPRK from stomping our a55es, AGAIN ]. Also spare us the “back to the people” BS because it’s quite clear that “public” really means “government”. Don’t get me started on what the actual percentages of the working population on Yongsan is, spoiler: Koreans are the majority.
“Donald Rumsfeld said”
Yeah… quoting Rumsie… not good…
“But now, the symbolic significance of the relocation is about to lose its luster although trillions of won in taxpayer’s money have been spent.”
F symbolism, F luster. There’s the claim I hinted at was coming, they’re trying to make it out like there’s this big hole dug in some fenced-in area on a US Base with a sign that says “YRP Money, Come get Some!” and people just dip in whenever they need it and that’s that.
Let me explain something for ignorant people like this Choking Elbow “writer”, everything that is done as a part of YRP is a smaller project with it’s own approval, budgeting, vetting, etc. If for some reason the King Club got in on YRP at a cost of 1.4 billion won but at the last second USFK decided there was enough juicy bars already and pulled the plug on it they money hasn’t gone anywhere so nothing is actually wasted as long as nothing was actually done. Once YRP is completed (ha ha.. yeah I know) whatever wasn’t spent goes back to the Koreans. The funds that were spent by the way, who the F in the uck does Choking Elbow think it’s going to? Pretty much all Korean companies.
My thoughts on what Yongsan should be used for? A giant internment camp for cabbies, bus drivers, motorbike riders, and old people who push those @#$%^&* trash carts down the street in the middle of rush hour.
How is this news? The CFC headquarters was literally never going to relocate, nor was embassy housing (since the embassy obviously isn’t going anywhere). None of this is news. I know folks working on the YRP/LRP project and they’ve literally never once mentioned CFC going anywhere.