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| The headquarters of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) in the U.S. Forces Korea's Yongsan Garrison in Seoul is seen in this Nov. 11, 2018 photo. Korea Times file |
By Jung Da-min
A plan to relocate the headquarters of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) from Yongsan to Pyeongtaek should be reconsidered, a lawmaker claimed Wednesday.
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| Rep. Park Jie-won. Korea Times file |
"The South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command exists for our own security, not for the convenience of the U.S. military," Park said. "I strongly call for the ministry to reconsider the plan."
The plan to move the CFC from the U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan base in Seoul to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, reverses earlier discussions between the U.S. and South Korea to host it at the defense ministry compound in Yongsan.
The four-term lawmaker expressed concern that the envisioned relocation sends the wrong signal that the allies are giving up security in areas north of the Han River, where major government organizations such as Cheong Wa Dae, as well as the U.S. Embassy are located.
"This was why former opposition party leader ex-President Kim Dae-jung had earlier opposed the relocation of the Eighth U.S. Army to Pyeongtaek," Park said, referring to Kim's views in the late 1990s on the relocation of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) headquarters and its Eighth Army command, both of which are now inside Camp Humphreys along with the United Nations Command (UNC) headquarters.
But the defense ministry dismissed concerns that the relocation would end the USFK's strategic "tripwire" role against a possible North Korean invasion, saying it does not affect the combined readiness posture of Korea and the U.S.
It said the relocation plan was envisioned after the allies reflected on operational efficiency, the conditions for the CFC to carry out its missions and the cost and timing of the relocation, while also guaranteeing the working conditions enjoyed by the CFC's Yongsan office.
"Geographical distance is not as important as before in future warfare. The South Korean and U.S. militaries are closely cooperating through the C4I system capacity building and video conferences," defense ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said, citing the system for command, control, communications, computers and intelligence.
