Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Gwangju Air Base transfer deadline weakens Korea's hand with US
A fighter jet prepares for takeoff at Gwangju Air Base, also known as Gwangju Airport, in southwestern city of Gwangju, Monday. Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
Experts say Lee's plan prioritizes politics over alliance consultation
South Korea's plan to convert Gwangju Air Base into a semiconductor cluster by mid-2028 is drawing criticism from defense experts who say President Lee Jae Myung's unilateral announcement of a hard deadline may have undermined Seoul's negotiating position with Washington before talks have even concluded.
During a checkup meeting on progress of the so-called megaproject — a large-scale new chip hub planned for southwestern Korea — Lee said Monday that Gwangju Air Base, a dual-use facility also known as Gwangju Airport, would be relocated by mid-2028 to make way for the new industrial complex.
The Ministry of National Defense followed Tuesday with a statement saying it would cooperate with the plan while minimizing any impact on national security and defense readiness. "The ministry will actively review and advance a plan to temporarily relocate Gwangju Air Base's operations to another military airfield by mid-2028," it said, adding that it would coordinate with the U.S. side for the return of land currently granted to American forces.
The base is currently jointly operated by Seoul and Washington as a collocated operating base under Article IV of the Mutual Defense Treaty, which grants U.S. forces free use of designated facilities and areas in South Korea. Though no U.S. combat units are permanently based there during peacetime, the facility is designated as a critical contingency entry point for American air assets in the event of conflict on the peninsula. A small number of U.S. personnel are stationed on-site to support logistics functions, alongside limited facilities used for that purpose.
The United States Forces Korea (USFK) declined to engage with the substance of the announcement.
"We do not comment on host nation policy matters," the command said. "USFK remains committed to maintaining a ready and capable force on the Korean Peninsula and a strong combined defense posture with our ROK (Republic of Korea) ally."
President Lee Jae Myung attends a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps
Experts and government insiders voiced concern over the sequence of the decision — a public deadline set before U.S. consultations were concluded, saying it has created an avoidable complication, weakening South Korea's leverage in talks.
"While the base itself has a small presence of around 10 U.S. personnel, its strategic significance is considerable: It serves as a critical contingency entry point for joint readiness if Seoul's airfields become unusable during a war," a government official familiar with the matter told The Korea Times.
"By setting a hard deadline, South Korea has put itself in a weak negotiating position, forcing itself to rush the process to meet the timeline."
The official added, however, that the U.S. side has already been aware of the planned relocation, as the two allies have been discussing the consolidation of five air bases over the past five years.
Yang Uk, research fellow and director of the Center for Foreign Policy and National Security at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, criticized the government's unilateral decision, blaming it as politically motivated without closely talking with its ally.
"Airpower is what North Korea fears most and Gwangju is a base the U.S. military actively uses. It is concerning that the plan is moving ahead on schedule without a clear alternative prepared," Yang said.
He questioned the timing, suggesting the decision appeared aimed at shoring up political support in the region rather than addressing a defense need. "With Korea-U.S. alliance issues piling up, designating Gwangju specifically suggests the goal is political — holding onto support in that region," Yang said, adding that pursuing the plan for political reasons is not inherently wrong, but that it becomes a problem when it interferes with matters of security importance.
Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, noted the base holds significance beyond the immediate peninsula context.
"Sites like the Gwangju base feature hardened aircraft shelters designed to protect fighter jets from preemptive strikes, preserving combat power for counterattacks in a potential U.S.–China conflict. The same logic applies to deterring North Korea, where overwhelming airpower is essential … Joint bilateral consultations are essential to determine the strategic risks," Park said.
"The U.S. military evaluates operational assets strictly on defense readiness, regardless of Korea's internal political dynamics … It would have been better had these discussions taken place in advance."
He added that while the issue may have limited direct impact on broader bilateral ties, Washington would be watching closely to see whether Seoul remains aligned with U.S. strategic priorities.