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| U.S military uniforms are on display at the entrance of a military clothing shop, located inside Exchange's main store. Korea Times Photo by Kim Kang-min |
By Lee Gyu-lee, Video by Lee Min-young, Kim Kang-min
PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province ― Behind the thick brick wall of the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, some 65-kilometers south of Seoul, the environment is completely different to that of the rest of the city.
The United States Army Garrison Humphreys, also known as USAG Humphreys, in this city is cozy and convenient.
The new headquarters of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) opened in Camp Humphreys June 2018. As Yongsan Garrison base closed down and relocated to Pyeongtaek last year, majority of soldiers from the USFK and United Nations Command in Yongsan has been relocated to Camp Humphreys.
To accommodate the increased population, about 655 facilities are being renovated and constructed to increase capacity. Camp Humphreys now hosts about 24,687 U.S citizens, including the service members and their families.
"The new facilities added definitely give you that impression that you are still back in the U.S," said E-5 sergeant Brittney McKenzie who has been at the camp for a year and a half.
Thousands of miles away from the U.S., the largest overseas U.S. military base offers a new but culturally familiar home to service members and their families living abroad. From recreational facilities ― a golf course and swimming pools ― to medical centers and shopping areas, USAG Humphreys offers a "home away from home."
Camp Humphreys is a strictly restricted area for the public. But with the help of the U.S. Forces Korea Public Affairs Office, The Korea Times had the rare opportunity to take a guided tour of the military base.
Golf course
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| A man plays golf alone at River Bend golf course, Thursday. Korea Times Photo by Kim Kang-min |
River Bend Golf Course includes an 18-hole course, a 6-hole practice course and a double decker driving range. Laid on the retention area, the field consists of multiple ponds with water flowing in from the adjacent river. The course also has a variety of wildlife, including pheasants, blue herons, and catfish. The green space makes visitors almost forget that they are inside the military base.
Inside the clubhouse, the restaurants and River Bend's Pro Shop allows golfers to grab food or golfing gear, including some of its loyalty goods. The two restaurants ― The White Heron and River Bend Pub ― offer a view of the green field and blue sky through a window which takes up the whole side of the restaurant. The clubhouse also offers private and more upscale dining on weekend nights.
Shopping area
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| Two soldiers walk along the aisle of Exchange's main store. Korea Times Photo by Kim Kang-min |
The third largest Exchange shopping center exists in this base. About 301,000 square feet, the mall is extenive and matches the style of typical American malls, unlike the multistory malls usually preferred in Korea.
The mall is operated by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the largest Department of Defense retailer. The agency runs stores, restaurants, theaters and other businesses for people living on U.S military bases worldwide. This mall holds a food court, a department store and dozens of concession stands along the aisle.
Employing the motto "Making Humphreys home," Humphreys Exchange provides the feeling of home through offering familiar U.S. brands for Americans living abroad. "We try to give our customers the little taste of home that they crave," said Scott Bonner, the General Manager of Humphreys Exchange. "Our mission is 'we go where you go' to improve your quality of life through the goods and services we provide. It really speaks to us being able to take care of the soldiers and their families when they come over to Korea"
The world of shopping opens up with just one step into the enormous Exchange department store that takes up almost half of the center.
Opened in November 2017, the mall holds over 100,000 items from clothing and home supplies to appliances and major electronics, at the prices consistent in all Exchange branches worldwide. "Anything you can think of we have it," the main store manager Debra Melton said proudly. "(people) don't have to go outside if they don't want to because we try to have everything here."
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| A woman, center, shows her ID card to the store associate, right. Only service members, their families, and sponsors are allowed to enter the store. Korea Times Photo by Kim Kang-min |
As the store is a duty-free facility, only service members, their families and sponsors can come in and shop at the store. Identification is checked at the entrance to ensure everyone allowed in is an authorized shoppers. The store gets crowded with not only the people from Humphreys but also people from other U.S. bases on the peninsula, coming to shop at the biggest Exchange store in the country.
Located towards the back side of the store, a military clothing shop is usually the first stop for newly arriving soldiers. This is the only area where soldiers can get their duty items such as badges for their units and uniforms, of which about 30,000 are sold per year.
Food Court and grocery shop
Unlike the department store, the food court allows everyone allowed onto the base to freely use all six franchise restaurants, such as Arby's, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, located in the mall. These franchises have original menus from the U.S, which is different from the localized menus offered in Korean branches.
This allows about Korean national employees of Humphrey's Exchange to dine in. Korean associates make up about 80 percent of the 790 employees and the rest are family members of active duty or sponsors.
Even with a capacity of around 500, the food court was soon filled with people during lunch. It sees about 2,500 visitors during the lunch period and 3,400 total per day. But including the franchises' delivery through Exchange's own system covering the base, the number of customers significantly exceeds that number.
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| A soldier grabs a pack of meat from the meat section at Commissary, a grocery store ran by the Defense Commissary Agency. Korea Times Photo by Kim Kang-min |
As this is the major base around the neighborhood, service members from adjacent bases come to Camp Humphreys to shop over the weekend. Along with the mall, the supermarket, ran by the Defense Commissary Agency, is another necessary stop to get American goods for those serving and living in Korea. The whole grocery is laid out in the setting as the grocery shops in the States, with wider aisles and a deli section filled with big chunks of luncheon meat ready to be sliced.
Promenade
Just behind the Exchange mall and Commissary, there is a small promenade area with a recreation center, bowling alley and famous steakhouse franchise.
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| The view of the promenade area. Korea Times Photo by Kim Kang-min |
The Texas Roadhouse is a global steakhouse franchise that opened its first Korean branch in February this year in Camp Humphreys. Support manager Ali Molt, from the branch abroad, has been dispatched to train the local staff to the restaurant's standard quality, including its signature line dance by waiters and waitresses to entertain the customers.
"(Customers say) that it feels like home. That's what we wanted," Molt said. "We get people who come in and Face Time or Skype their family who's also at Texas Roadhouse in the U.S., so they feel like they're having dinner with the family."
