Gen. Walter Sharp
USFK Commander |
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
South Korea and the United States have failed to finalize a deal on the relocation of U.S. military bases to south of Seoul.
Both sides, however, neared a final agreement, as they narrowed their differences on most aspects of the deal, including the timing, cost and other matters, but not the construction of homes for U.S. military families assigned to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, a spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.
The two sides will hold another round of talks in May, he said.
General Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Koreas (USFK), who represented the United States at the second round of talks earlier in the day, plans to fly to Washington Thursday and discuss pending issues, including the base relocation initiative, with the Pentagon, the spokesman said.
``Both sides saw much progress regarding many issues related to the relocation project at today's talks,'' the ministry said in a news release. ``We expect a final agreement to be made at an early date after the sides review detailed and legal aspects concerned.''
Vice Defense Minister Chang Soo-man represented Korea at the talks, it said.
``The two sides, in particular, narrowed their differences on the timelines for relocating the Yongsan Garrison in Seoul and U.S. infantry units north of Seoul,'' another ministry official said, asking not to be named.
He said the two sides had practically agreed on the relocation of the Yongsan Army Post by 2014 and that of the 2nd Infantry Division units by 2015.
The USFK has asked the South Korean government to guarantee the Korean consortium to build and operate 2,400 homes for U.S. military families assigned to Camp Humphreys, about 70 kilometers south of Seoul, which will eventually be tripled in size to accommodate about 44,000 U.S. soldiers, their families, base workers and South Korean troops, sources said, because the USFK believes a South Korean government guarantee will help manage the Humphreys Family Housing Development in a more stable manner.
Last November, a consortium of South Korea's Samsung C&T and two other U.S. firms, dubbed Humphreys Family Communities, was awarded a $1.3-billion contract to develop, design, finance, build and operate a first-class residential community on Humphreys, as well as to own and manage the homes for 50 years.
The homes will be within a planned community environment that will include a mixture of low-, mid- and high-rise residential buildings, parks, athletic fields, community facilities, retail outlets and subterranean parking to optimize open space.
About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed here as a deterrent against Stalinist North Korea, which is seeking to become a nuclear power.
The mission of the consolidated U.S. base in Pyeongtaek will be less focused on the threat from North Korea and more on threats elsewhere in this region, observers say.
The project is estimted to cost about $13 billion, about 50 percent of which is being provided by South Korea.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
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